Brotherly Love
by aimdiscord
Summary: The final battle is over, and happiness is only a wish away. But... maybe not, because Sesshoumaru always gets what he wants. /Sess x Kag x Fem!Inu, Crackfic/
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine, or Kikyou would never have been resurrected.

Author Note: Sorry if they seem a little bit OOC.

I apologize for the strange message 'alert' attack some of you may have received from FFN net, when I updated the last chapter. I deleted and re-posted the entire story, it didn't solve the problem, and I lost all your lovely reviews in the process.

Sincerely yours,

A broken-hearted aimdiscord

(Please review to make up for all the lost comments. . . ?)

**Brotherly Love 01:**

Closing her eyes, she could still see the expression on his face, one of pure unadulterated joy. Naraku had been defeated and he had turned to her, and…

Kagome shook her head roughly, to clear her thoughts. It was due to Naraku's demise, that was all. They were all a little shell-shocked and crazy right now. It felt like a dream. Everyone was overjoyed at the destruction of an arch-nemesis. But there was no way she had just seen Sesshoumaru… grin.

Squinting her eyes, the miko focused on the inuyoukai's face. No, he looked as dispassionate as ever. It must have been a fantasy after all. Turning, she faced her friends, to gauge their reactions.

Miroku watched as the Air Void in his hand slowly diminished into nothingness, and the trek of poison across his body was stopped. He looked at the palm of his right hand, for the first time in decades. At which point, he immediately peered at Sango's behind and the palm of his hand began to twitch… But no, now was not the time. The taijiya was still suffering from the loss of her brother, never knowing how close she had come to losing her beloved monk as well. Had they not destroyed Naraku today, the wounds of shouki Miroku had sustained in an earlier fight had been going to take him to an early grave. He was glad not to die so ignominiously. Ever since the Kazaana had killed his father, he had imagined dying in battle, sucking Naraku and everything alongside him into oblivion. Yet if they had not defeated the evil hanyou this day, he was certain he would have died from Naraku's old, poison-induced wounds – a dishonorable and insignificant death, and one that he was glad to have skipped.

Sango's tear streaked face reflected conflicting emotions. There was joy over the defeat of Naraku, but still the haunted look that came from the demise of her brother. She remembered her brother, dying, yet still conscious. His eyes had sought out his sister, fully aware of his misdeeds and begging forgiveness, and Sango had given it to him in turn. But it would take time for her heart to say goodbye.

Shippo and Kirara were excitedly bounding around the edge of the field. But Inuyasha, unlike the others, was watching _her_ as the full import of the momentous event finally hit him. She, Kagome, had earned his first glance, which meant that she was foremost in his thoughts! And the look in his eyes was so warm and caring, that the miko felt her heart lurch when their eyes met. As he opened his mouth, she was absolutely certain somehow, that the next words he spoke would be:

_I love you Kagome._

"I love you too, Inuyasha!" she cried out. Had he chosen her over the memory of Kikyou at last?

"Yatta ka?" Inuyasha murmured. "I did it." he decided, more strongly this time, consistently overlooking the way Kagome had purified the shouki-infested jewel to weaken Naraku, and conveniently forgetting all the assistance he had received from Miroku, Sango, Kouga, and even his brother Sesshoumaru. "I did it! Haha! Take that you spineless, manipulating, shit-faced stinking dirty worthless excuse for a youkai bastard, it's about time you…"

All right, perhaps expecting a heart-felt love-confession at a time like this was a bit absurd. The fact remained though, that he had turned to her first, with hope in his eyes. No one else. Perusing the charred and poisoned battleground, she saw Sesshoumaru bending down to dig through Naraku's remains in search of something, and wondered what he was doing, until he uncovered the Shikon no Tama.

_O Kami-sama! In all the excitement I forgot about the jewel! _Kagome felt very silly as she rushed forward to stand at the taiyoukai's side. Scooting the troublesome little ball toward the miko with one foot, the white demon watched the forces of good and evil at war within it for one last time, before the tiny miko lifted it off the ground. The instant she touched the Shikon no Tama, the jewel became a pure crystal clear pink, as usual. He never tired of watching this process. Intriguing, that the girl seemed to have no clue how she accomplished such a feat.

This time was different than any other, however, as the pink light continued to grow and expand, until it shot out of the tama, showering the entire field in a bath of pure light. The miko gasped, and Inuyasha stood close by, ready to protect her. Sesshoumaru glanced skyward, unaffected. Ever so slowly, the light coalesced into the figure of a lovely warrior maiden. _Midoriko!_ Amazed, Kagome crept forward and mouthed the ancient miko's name.

_ Greetings, Miko Kagome. So many times you have assisted me in times of trouble. I am pleased to finally meet you face to face. _ The ancient miko's voice seemed to resound in their thoughts, without making a sound in the real world. Blushing, Kagome looked down at her toes. She had never really been good at controlling her spiritual abilities, and she suspected that perhaps Midoriko was talking about Kikyou… But Midoriko's next words implied otherwise, as she gazed on the group's members one by one.

_ And greetings to the rest of you as well – Inuyasha, brave hanyou; Miroku, wise monk; Sango, loyal friend and family. All of you have helped to balance the four souls of the Shikon, and through your efforts I am finally freed. _ From across the field, Kouga grumbled sullenly. Wasn't he going to be included in this party? He had contributed to the fight too. Well, first he had gotten his shards sucked out by Naraku, which set them back for a while, but ultimately he had helped. Right? The ancient miko chuckled at his expense and nodded in his direction. _ Kouga and Sesshoumaru, you also fought courageously and kept your hearts pure. For all your valiant efforts, I have been permitted to grant each of you a wish, before I take my final leave of this world. _

Floating patiently in midair, Midoriko waited for the news to sink into the thickheaded people present before her, allowing them a momentary grace period. The monk's face was especially adorable when he comprehended what she was saying. The firecat soon distracted her though, by mewling happily at the sight of her old mistress, and attempting to twine between her insubstantial, ghostly legs.

"Wait, you mean we ALL get a wish?" Inuyasha demanded. "What? Why?"

Kagome quickly elbowed him in the chest, urging him not to question fate. This was a good thing. The inu-hanyou grunted and accepted her unspoken argument. He did have _several_ wishes in mind, actually… He wanted to bring Kikyou back from the dead, but he also wanted to stay with Kagome, and to grow old with her, which meant he would have to be a human. And he also had this itching desire to be a full youkai, while still remaining conscious of his own deeds, just once. Even if only for an hour… Or just long enough to pound the crap outta his brother. Ah, life was complicated. Maybe Kagome would let him use her wish too.

Miroku, on the other hand, bowed low and politely stated his gratitude. "I would be honored by such a gift, O great Midoriko-sama. Yet, I am uncertain what more I could possibly wish for, now that the Kazaana and Naraku have been destroyed."

_ It is not necessary for you to state your wishes, although you may. As long as the unselfish desire is in your heart, I will discover it. For you, dear monk, I bestow health and longevity on your descendants. None of your children shall die of sickness or disease. Is this acceptable? _

The monk's eyes went impossibly wide at this, and he nodded in silence. For such an accursed family line to be suddenly so blessed! It was almost too good to be true. The demon slayer wasted no time in requesting the restoration of her brother's life, nor did Kouga question his good fortune as he asked for the lives of his dead clansmen. When both these wishes were granted, Sango fell to the ground crying tears of thankfulness, and Kouga abruptly dashed away, eager to return home and see his long lost companions.

Turning toward Kagome, Midoriko paused, listening to her heart's desire. At first the miko from the future was unsure – so much had happened and her friends had been through so many bad experiences. But she could not wish away bad memories, for those trials made them who they were today. Plus, she knew that she had to make an unselfish wish. So asking for straight A's all through college was out. Wait! That was it! "I wish for the well to remain open, that I may travel through it and visit both my friends and my family. Is that … too selfish a thing to wish for?"

Eyes sparkling with jovial delight, Midoriko smiled at her savior. Such a small girl with such a large heart, always concerned for the welfare of others. _ Your desire stems from love, and your wish will do as much to make others happy as yourself, although it will not make your life easier in the long run. I cannot deem it selfish. _

Nodding at the girl to let her know the wish had been granted, she turned to the hanyou next. Inuyasha winced. He still didn't feel ready to make such a huge decision, despite the fact that he had been thinking about his 'wish' on the Shikon no Tama for years now. Perhaps he had had _too_ much time to think about it, because all the extra months had merely added extra longing. He shook his head miserably.

Meanwhile, Kagome was confused. What did the ancient miko mean when she said that leaving the well open would make life more difficult? Certainly it was no piece of cake to commute between two eras, trying to finish both her modern education and her miko training… But she happily accepted such sacrifices, and it seemed pointless to tell her now, after the fact, that a time-traveling well would make life no 'easier.'

Looking toward her hanyou protector for guidance, she saw he was having his own wish-based issues. She froze in terror. The look on his face – it was the ponderous, moody expression he always wore when he thought of Kikyou. And suddenly she realized what he was going to wish for.

Surely not. Not after all they had been through together, he would never… betray her. Her. Kagome. Even if Kikyou had seemed nicer and more mysterious than ever the moment that she took in Kohaku… even if Kikyou had died in his arms with a smile, while everyone in their group cried repentant tears over her prone form… It was over, right? Inuyasha had let her go, and Kikyou had moved on in turn, with forgiveness in her heart this time, not hatred.

She had been sure that chapter of their lives was closed – that her faithfulness had finally paid off, that Kikyou had found redemption and peace. But no, the moment she had been dreading had arrived, and Inuyasha was going to choose. She knew he cared for her, but also that he had never stopped loving the once-dead miko, and she found herself pleading internally for Midoriko to give him a little more time, for Inuyasha to come to his senses, for…

The hanyou looked at her uncertainly, his amber gaze revealing his doubt. Certainly Kagome was a wonderful and caring person, but Kikyou had _died_ for him. There were no words for that sort of thing. Kagome understood it too, and therein lay the problem. But for Kikyou to truly live again, her soul would need to heal, and that meant Kagome would either die or disappear into her own time forever. He didn't want that!

Inside, Kagome felt as though her heart would break for him. A familiar feeling, just as powerful now as the first time she had felt it. It was not fair. She hated the fact that Inuyasha could never fully choose between them. But even more, she hated the thought that he had to choose at all. It wasn't fair! To expect him to make a choice between the past and the future when both stood before him. To pick one of the two, and condemn the other to death when she KNEW he loved and cherished them both. It sounded strange, but she did not want to force that kind of pain onto him. Yes, they argued, she got jealous, he got mad, they often grew frustrated with each other, but ultimately she loved him. Someone had to decide so, gods help her, she made up her mind. Miroku, Sango and Shippo watched breathlessly, and even Sesshoumaru observed the scene unfold with something akin to curiosity.

"It's all right, Inuyasha," she smiled softly, a sudden calm overtaking her. "That kind of wish… I don't mind." Was this was suicide felt like to people in her own time? A slow, icy chill that numbed the doubts and fears, your pain and love… It was for the best though. He and Kikyou deserved a second chance. If any pair ever did, then they did.

"You don't mind?" he mumbled bashfully. "If I become human, then you can't accost my ears anymore you know." Behind them, the monk sighed in relief.

The girl's eyes filled with tears. "You mean, you were going to wish to become human after all?"

"Ah! Don't cry!" exclaimed the hanyou frantically. "I hate it when you do that." Overflowing with happiness, the miko's cerulean eyes closed. She sniffled and rubbed her face. Inuyasha patted her shoulder, unsure whether her tears meant she was glad, or that she didn't like the idea. He continued in a halting voice, "It's not that I want to… it's just that… I don't want to watch you grow old without me, so I thought…"

Before he could go any further, Kagome threw herself into his embrace, this time crying even harder. Years of pent up worry and frustration found their relief in the span of only a few minutes.

With a twitch of his tail, Shippo jumped onto Inuyasha's head and stared at the ancient miko of the Shikon Jewel with wonder. He had suddenly realized how he could solve all his foster parents' problems, but he wasn't sure she would allow it. "Midoriko-sama," he asked with a childlike plaint to his voice, "Do I get a wish too?"

_ Of course, little one, _replied the ancient miko._ You embody a form of love, one of the four souls of the jewel, and you always brighten the hearts of your fellows. _At her praise, the little kitsune puffed up proudly. This meant dog-breath was wrong on all those occasions he had called fox-kits useless. He, Shippo, was essential to the group! And now he would show Inuyasha just how useful he could be.

"Then I wish for Kagome-mama to be a inu-youkai! That way she can be with me forever, and no one has to worry about her growing too old." Beaming at his cleverness, Shippo completely missed the vacant, horrified looks the rest of his group gave him at this pronouncement. He had done well! The kitsune had even wished for her to be a dog-demon and not a fox, because he wanted to be nice to Inuyasha.

"NANI?" shrieked the hanyou, ripping the baby-fox off his head with one hand clenched around the little brat's fluffy tail. "You take that back!"

"No!" cried Shippo, flailing his arms and legs, "I did it for you, I want you both to be happy and stay with me forever!"

_ The wish is pure. He does not ask it out of a selfish desire for power, but only through his love of others… But little one, are you certain this is what you want? _ Frantically, Kagome shook her head in the negative. Inuyasha growled and squeezed the fox-kit by the tail, to point out how seriously angry he was. But Shippo only howled and refused to retract his wish. _ Then, it is done. _

A brilliant light surrounded Kagome, and she disappeared from sight.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Author Note: I know it seems like a Sess/Kag right now – and it is … but only partially. Read the title.

**Brotherly Love 02:**

Kagome's scream split the air as a purple light enveloped her. When the light had faded and the dust had cleared, the others saw a vibrant demoness standing in her place. The miko still looked much the same – her hair was dark, raven black, her eyes were a shifting sea of blue, and her figure was still petite. But her nails had grown longer, sharpening into claws, and her face was graced with a greenish-blue stripe on each cheek. Her mouth, currently hanging open in shock, displayed two dainty fangs where dull human teeth had once been. And most striking of all, she now had an aura of youki, merged with that of a priestess. As the opposing elements of her spirit mixed together, the clashing forces created little swirls of color and light, lending her an unearthly glow, much like the Shikon no Tama itself.

After a few moments, her aura began to calm, and she came out of her trance to look at Shippo, her foster son, and the one who had made this ridiculous wish on the Shikon no Tama. "Shippo honey," she began slowly, trying not to yell at the top of her lungs. "What exactly were you thinking when you asked Midoriko-sama for that wish?"

"Inuyasha said he didn't really want to be a human, but that he didn't want to watch you grow old an d-die in front of him either…" the fox kit whined pitifully, speaking so rapidly that his words began to blur together. "And if he was human then you would both grow old and I would be alone again, but if you are a inu-youkai too, then you can get married and be happy together with me forever!"

The logic made sense. At least to a young child, who did not quite understand racial identity issues yet, due to his unique upbringing. So, Kagome couldn't quite yell at him for what he did. But at the same time, he had to understand that things weren't quite that simple. Losing her internal battle of words as she observed her fox-kit's cute, hopeful, shining face, she sputtered incoherently and glared at Inuyasha as if the entire outcome was his fault somehow.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome pointed at him accusingly. "Use your wish to turn me back!"

"Wha?! Hey! Don't blame this all on me, he's _your_ stupid kitsune."

"You have to," she reasoned, "You're the only one with a wish left!"

The hanyou shook his head helplessly. If he made such a wish, it would put them back where they started, no closer to solving their problems than before. Of course, Kagome always said she liked him as a hanyou… But he had been so certain, that this time he could get things right! If he were human, then Kagome could live with him and grow old at the same rate as he! And if he wasted his wish, just to undo what a stupid fox brat had done, what would it accomplish?

"_Chotto matte_! Hold on a minute, I'm not the only one with a wish left." At the hanyou's sudden insight, they both looked to the taiyoukai, who deadpanned as if he had no clue what they were doing or saying, and didn't care.

"Sesshoumaru! Use your wish to turn her back into a human." In his usual commandeering fashion, Inuyasha attempted to order his brother around, without results. The elder demon raised one silvery eyebrow. "_Teme_! For god's sake, once in your life, give me a break and do something to help me here!"

"For your information, brother," growled the taiyoukai, "I already have a wish in mind, and I do not plan to waste it."

"Why you selfish bastard! You're so…"

"OSUWARI!" shrieked the miko, becoming more and more angry throughout the exchange. It was not Sesshoumaru's responsibility to save her. It was his! Obviously! When she had asked her hanyou-protector to give up his wish to save her life (or at least her dignity) she had not expected him to turn on his brother over it. Honestly, those two could fight over _anything_. "I wasn't asking him for help! I was asking you, Inuyasha!"

From beneath a layer of dirt that muffled his face, they heard the hanyou's grumpy voice intone a reply. "Well, you weren't really asking… more like a command…"

"OsuWari!" Kagome yelled again, and stormed away in tears toward the treeline, Sango in tow.

Now, while the outside observer might have thought (with good reason) that Sesshoumaru was merely trying to annoy his brother by stating that he had a wish, this was not quite true. The white dog-demon did have an objective in mind; he had intended to see it through from the moment that Midoriko had announced her gift to each of them. In fact, the miko's transformation into a powerful inu-youkai had almost accomplished his desire. But this alone was not good enough, as she belonged to the hanyou, and they would doubtless return to one another before long. No, his heart's desire was…

Inuyasha, sitting up from the crater he had created, brushed off his clothing and wearily stood, glaring daggers at his elder brother. "I can't just UN-wish it, don't you see that? Say something damn it!"

But the taiyoukai stood as still and silent as death, and was naturally just as unreadable. Racking his brain to come up with something that would encourage his brother to help, he suddenly remembered that he had the ultimate bargaining tool, right beneath his fist. It was not that he wanted to give it up, but he wouldn't need it anymore after he was human, in any case.

"All right, you win. If you help me," he snarled unpleasantly, voice trembling, "I'll give you the Tessaiga."

The answer that came back was as unexpected as it was unsettling. "This Sesshoumaru," droned the taiyoukai, "Has no need of such things to assist his power."

Glancing back and forth between the brothers, Miroku scratched his head. He had suspected for some time now that Sesshoumaru-sama had abandoned pursuit of the famous sword. But hearing it confirmed was still shocking. Maybe the Tenseiga was rightfully powerful on its own now, and the taiyoukai didn't want anything else. Yet subtle changes in the demon lord's behavior had been occurring for a while. Indeed, ever since that day a few years ago, when Sesshoumaru stopped Inuyasha's rampaging blood lust in a small human village and instructed them to return the sealing blade to his brother, the monk had guessed the taiyoukai had a new agenda. Miroku had asked the demon lord why, but at the time his reply had been unenlightening. Now, it seemed clearer. The demon lord did not want a crutch, when he could stand on his own two feet, and when his brother needed the blade.

"Give me a break," Inuyasha yelled, interrupting the monk's internal monologue. "You've always wanted it. Take it, here! Just wish her back, so I don't use mine up."

"I am reserving my wish," continued the taiyoukai darkly, "Until yours has been spoken."

"Nani!" the hanyou howled indignantly. "You're plotting something! I know it! Whatever I say, you're going to undo it just to make me miserable! Well, no way." Quickly forgetting his attempted bargain, Inuyasha turned to Midoriko, who remained hovering in the center of the field.

"Midoriko-sama," cried Inuyasha, "Make him say his wish first!"

"It is imperative to the nature of my wish that it be spoken last," countered the youkai.

"Ya, well I'm not wishing until you do, 'cause I'm not letting you undo my wish!"

The ancient miko of the Shikon looked on in mild exasperation. Strange, after half a milennia fighting an endless battle against the most powerful demons around, these two were getting on her nerves. She thought she had more patience than that.

Miroku started forward, ready to calm the situation, but just then Inuyasha found inspiration. "That's it! I know a wish, that lets Kagome and I live together, AND prevents marble-face over here from messing things up! I wish to be a full-youkai and live alongside Kagome."

Anxious to see if Midoriko accepted his wish, Inuyasha whirled about to face the floating miko. The ghost of the Shikon no miko pondered this request for a moment, and then approved it. _ As this wish is based on your love of Kagome, and not a desire for power, it is not a selfish or base request. I may safely grant it. _

As the smoke cleared, Inuyasha chuckled snidely, and Miroku worried for a single terrifying moment if his friend had made a huge mistake. But soon they could see that his demon blood did not mar the intelligence in his gaze, and that as a full-youkai, at last his blood did not overwhelm his fragile human consciousness. His eyes remained clear and golden. Square blue stripes, a single one on each cheek, added a regal look to his face, and his human, elf-like ears lay at the side of his head, ensconced in silver hair. "Ha!" shouted the hanyou jubilantly, "Take that! Now, no matter what you have planned, I'll be strong enough to fight you off!"

As if it could hear Inuyasha's egotistical statements, the Tessaiga choose this moment to backfire. Without the desire to protect humans in his heart at that instant, only the urge to defeat his brother, the sword's barrier leapt up, forcing Inuyasha to drop the blade. His palm sizzled and burned, and he squirmed in pain and glowered at his sword. "Hey! You're not _oyaji_'s fang anymore, you're MINE! That was rude and uncalled for!"

"Do not speak so informally of our esteemed Father," the taiyoukai reminded him.

_ And your wish? _inquired the Shikon no Miko calmly of the white demon.

"I wish," Sesshoumaru uttered triumphantly, granting himself the liberty of the smallest hint of a smile now that he was so close to his goal. "That Inuyasha were female."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: The individuals in this story, no matter how out of character they seem, still ultimately belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

Author Note: Don't hurt me. A girlie Inuyasha would be fun. I read Ranma 1/2 one too many times. 

WARNING: This story will involve Sess/Kag Sess/Inu and Inu/Kag - yes, all three. Please be warned in advance of the "Mature" rating on the story.

**Brotherly Love 03:**

It really wasn't such an unreasonable wish. The hanyou had been a thorn in his side as long as he could remember, and he certainly would smell a great deal better as a woman. It might cut down on their constant spats over dominance, and he could accept the boy back into his family unit, as long as they were of opposite gender. And most importantly, it would separate the hanyou from his miko. 

There were no more unattached female inu-youkai in Japan. There were hardly any dog-demons at all, much less any pretty girls. Technically, the only inuyoukai-lady that he knew was his mother… and that idea was just wrong. So the concept had bitten him the instant Midoriko offered to grant an impossible wish, and it had attacked him with a vengeance when he heard the little kitsune wish for his surrogate mother to become an inu-youkai. If that kind of wish could be granted, then anything was possible. Finally, when Inuyasha wished to become a full-youkai, he was not about to sit back and watch while his half-brother made off with the Tessaiga, the only inu-youkai girl left in Japan, _and_ the power of full demon blood under his belt. 

True, such a wish was a little unconventional. But it opened several doors that would otherwise have been closed to him. Before, the miko was off limits; now she was fair game. Before, the little bastard that was his brother had been annoying; now he was … kind of cute. 

Blue bars remained on Inuyasha's cheeks, reminding him of their Father, and his eyes and hair had stayed the same lovely shades of gold and silver. But in every other respect his brother had been completely altered. In front of him crouched a voluptuous beauty, heavy chested, with curves in all the right places. The monk standing nearby began to pant oddly while looking at his friend's new figure, probably shocked by the recent turn of events.

Slowly, deliberately, Inuyasha lifted his hands to eye level and inspected them. They were slender and dainty, with delicate claws. But this could mean many things. It could signify a hand replacement surgery, like those things Kagome talked about in her future. It could be… Looking downward, he found his view of the ground impeded by a pair of voluminous mounds of flesh. Not good. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Kagome and Sango were commiserating at the edge of the field, when a cry of agony rang out from… someone. It sounded like Inuyasha, but the voice was slightly too high. 

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?" the hanyou, turned full-youkai, turned female, screamed at the top of his lungs. The shock was starting to wear off, and a cold fury was rising in its place. "YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"

"And YOU!" Inuyasha swiveled and cracked his knuckles at the one who had granted such a ridiculous wish, Midoriko. "Whatever happened to that part about only granting wishes that are unselfish and from the heart?"

_ The wish was unselfish. It did not stem from evil desire for power or cruel and unjust punishment. His request was for the good of his people and the others in his life, not only for his own benefit. _

"No, that's absolutely wrong. The bastard LIVES to RUIN my LIFE! Un-grant it. Take it back," he half-begged, half-snarled. The Miko of the Shikon seemed confused by Inuyasha's anger, as though this result was to have been expected. As if turning someone into a woman was a perfectly normal, natural thing to do. Inuyasha started to wonder if this ghost wasn't the tiniest bit dense. "He was obviously trying to be sneaky about it, otherwise he wouldn't have made sure to wish last!"

_ And yet, there was always a guarantee that someone would wish last. _With this, Midoriko smiled and waved to Kirara, beginning to fade out of the world. _ As I have granted one wish to each of you, I now take my leave. My blessings and thanks be upon you. _

"Nooooooooooo!" squealed the ex-hanyou, in a panic. "Come back! Fix me! Help! Un-do it! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Cease that ungodly noise, this instant," commanded a frosty, calculating voice from behind his back. Inuyasha spun in place, only to discover his brother standing far too close to his side, and shrieked again before slapping one hand over his mouth. It really was an ungodly noise too. He sounded… like a girl. High pitched. Squeaky. Annoying. Kind of like Shippo. 

With a sigh, Miroku realized he would have to intervene. But how to separate the two brothers? As Inuyasha leapt away from his brother, he sidled between them and faced his friend, determined to break up the impending fight in the quickest way he knew how. 

Grasping one of Inuyasha's clawed hands in his own, he met the inu-youkai's eyes, marveling that at least one piece of his body had remained so masculine. "Inuyasha," began the monk calmly, "Will you…"

Amber eyes shone with belligerence as Inuyasha understood just what the stupid houshi was about to ask him. "Don't say it."

"… bear my child?"

"No, but I'll kill you," threatened the hanyou dangerously, "If you'd like."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was puzzling, why Miroku would be running in their direction with Inuyasha in hot pursuit, attempting to maul him with claw attacks and missing. Sango and Kagome could not figure it out for the life of them. Shippo and Inuyasha played rough sometimes, but usually Miroku, knowing his human weaknesses, bowed out of such childish behavior. 

"Sango-sama!" cried the monk as he ducked a blow from the hanyou and hid behind her luscious figure, "Save me!"

"How dare you make fun of me?" Inuyasha countered sharply, his voice sounding entirely too high. "You think I want this?" 

"Osuwari," mouthed the miko, her curiosity getting the better of her. The figure in red dropped to the ground, and she rushed forward with an apology on her lips. "Oh! I'm sorry Inuyasha! I was checking it was you. You look different."

The leaves rustled overhead, as the group paused to consider the outcome of the day's events. It was almost too much to handle. Naraku dead, Kohaku revived, Kagome, a youkai, and… 

"Miroku, what happened to Inuyasha?" 

Seeing that it was safe to leave the protective curve of Sango-sama's backside for the time being, the houshi stepped forward and shrugged his shoulders. "Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru-sama," he announced sagely, with a hint of irritation in his voice, "Seem to have squandered their wishes on petty rivalry."

A muted protest arose from the dirt below Inuyasha's mouth. "dinna waste it…"

The Tessaiga was in the middle of the field close to Naraku's corpse, apparently forgotten by its master. Sesshoumaru was stalking closer to their group with measured tread. And Kagome was at her wit's end. As she stood, her multicolored aura flared to life, the opposing powers of miko and youkai sparking a beautiful conflict in the air around her body. "You mean to tell me," she asked, an involuntary growl choking off her breath, "You didn't wish me back to normal? We could have just gone back to the way we were…"

"He did better," Sesshoumaru's deep baritone proclaimed calmly. "He wished to become a full youkai, worthy of his Father's blood." 

"Sesshoumaru!" protested the miko, finding his comment too overbearing for words. It was not completely beyond the pail of reason that Inuyasha would have wished to be a youkai, but Kagome was willing to bet there was more to the story. They had spent months trying to talk the hanyou out of the hair-brained idea of becoming a full-demon. And she had spent _years_ convincing him that being halfway between two races was good enough. For her hanyou to throw all of that logic away at a moment's notice, something drastic must have happened. "What did you do?"

The taiyoukai stood silently and stared at her, momentarily entranced by the sparkling glow of her aura. When she had accused him, her temper had caused her youki to flare, and the miko's healing aura had risen in response, creating a tiny puff of intense color. How very intriguing. Was it so wrong to want this creature? She had been reasonably desirable before, for her bravery, her spiritual powers, and her intelligence. But her lack of manners, and her humanity had forced him to squash down any lingering attraction he might have felt. 

Perhaps he had not been as unaffected as he liked to believe. Rin resembled her in both appearance and spirit. And Kagura had briefly reminded him of her too. When the wind witch first had demanded his assistance, trying to bribe him with shards, he had been annoyed. Not only did the kaze no youkai doubt his abilities and offer him shards, but also she failed to rectify her own situation. Whether or not she was strong enough to do so, it was honorable to try to escape Naraku alone, before asking for aid. The image of a human miko valiantly pointing an arrow at his armor had arisen in his mind, reminding him that not all people asked for help. And he had turned Kagura away that day, only listening to her pleas once the wind witch first attempted to act on her own behalf. So, it was possible that the miko had influenced his actions once or twice before. Yes, it was possible. 

Yet today, for the first time, he actually allowed himself to recognize her beauty. And she was exquisite. It was not only because she was a youkai now. Her hair was lustrous, and her eyes had always been striking. And that mouth… he could almost imagine what it must be like to touch…

The monk answered in his stead, as all of them were used to the taiyoukai's stoic silence by this point. "He wished that Inuyasha would become a girl."

"Nani?!" cried the little miko, her voice music to his ears. "Why would you do such a ridiculous thing?"

To prevent the situation from getting any further out of his control, he deigned to answer her question. "Before today," he stated flatly, "There were no unmated inu-youkai females abiding in Japan. Now, there are two."

Fortunately, the miko and his half-brother were not as dense as they seemed on the surface – they understood the unspoken proposition immediately. Unfortunately, they each reacted with complete horror. His brother crouched, ready to spring, and Sesshoumaru frowned. "If you attack me without the benefit of Tessaiga, you will lose." 

The hanyou faltered for a moment but was undeterred. "No fuckin' way. I am not, nor will I ever be, your bitch. I _know_ that you did not just suggest that or imply it in any way."

And then the fight was on, as Inuyasha leapt forward claws extended, heading straight for his brother's exposed neck. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: When, oh when, will the comic Inuyasha be mine? When I am Rumiko Takahashi.

Author Note: Inuyasha is still referring to himself as a hanyou, and the others still think of him as a man, despite the fact that he is a woman now. Please ignore the discrepancies if you feel they exist. I put them there on purpose, to express how the characters see each other. 

**Brotherly Love 04:**

"Potato chips?" Kagome asked, gesturing the bag toward Sango's little brother. Kohaku had recently awoken, and although he had yet to speak, his eyes seemed a little bit softer and less self-accusing already. He had told them once that he felt peaceful around Kikyou, and Kagome wondered if the same went for her, or if Kohaku's newfound calm was restored by the presence of his sister.

Shaking his head shyly, the boy resumed his intent scrutiny of the fight. As he watched Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, his body sat inert like a statue but his eyes flickered wildly back and forth between the contestants. And consistent with today's ever-widening spiral of bizarre behavior, Kohaku seemed to be mildly concerned for Sesshoumaru's safety. He winced every time Inuyasha got in a lucky hit. Rin had joined Kohaku in his silent vigil, yet she was less overwhelmed by the fight, because she was absolutely certain Sesshoumaru would win. 

Since Sesshoumaru did not seem very committed to harming his brother… er, sister… today, Kagome was not very worried either. She munched calmly on the bag of chips and pondered when the boys would quit throwing punches so that she could return to the Bone Eater's Well. She had a lot of explaining to do. Naraku was dead, the Jewel had been restored, Inuyasha was a woman, and she was a youkai. And it was only mid-afternoon. 

The fight was progressing much like the scrapping Inuyasha and his brother had done in their Father's grave. Inuyasha could not use the Tessaiga at the moment, since he was a full-youkai and not fighting to protect anything but his own purity, and Sesshoumaru refused to use Tenseiga, preferring instead to whip his brother with pulses of light. Yep, just like the good ol' days. Basically the youkai's light-whip simply served to annoy the hanyou, since the fire rat fur Inuyasha wore was effective armor against such an attack.

Unbeknownst to the rest of his group though, Inuyasha was rapidly tiring. Fighting in female form was exhausting – his arms were slightly shorter than his natural form, and he had to force himself to reach the extra distance each time he threw a punch. Furthermore, as a youkai, all his attacks were faster, and he wasted energy trying to compensate for his extra speed. Worst of all, he had no support. Suddenly those lacy bra things that Kagome wore didn't seem so bad. He had criticized her for wearing them once, in a less than rational moment. In fact, even the bindings that Sango wore would have made an appreciable difference. It hurt every time he landed, or rolled, or jumped… Damn things were a nuisance. 

This line of thinking fueled the fire, rekindling his wrath toward his brother for causing such an outrage to his person. For real this time, he was going to kill the bastard and then have Kagome purify his ashes to hell. And after that he would build his brother a gravesite, only to deface it and tear it down again. It would be fitting punishment. 

Of all the ways he had imagined spending his life after Naraku's defeat, living with his brother had not been on the list. He had dreamed of kissing Kagome, resurrecting Kikyou, maybe marrying them both, or maybe neither. Even helping Sango rebuild the demon slayer's village had been an option. But not this. He would not live life as a girl. 

Since a miko's pure wish (he refused to believe his brother's wish had been pure) had created him this way, he suspected and hoped that another miko might change him back to his original form. But in the meantime, what was he supposed to do? The only answer he could accept involved bashing Sesshoumaru's handsome face in and then spitefully tromping on his grave. 

The problem with this idea was that hitting his brother in the face involved touching him, and this was not a very appealing idea either. Plus, the taiyoukai was light-years faster than he was, and without help from Tessaiga, he wasn't sure how to win this fight. Halting his attack for a moment, he watched his brother pause as well. 

The bastard was toying with him! He wouldn't even fight seriously; he was merely reciprocating the steps his opponent took! How insulting. "Oi!" Inuyasha panted, his voice so exhausted from yelling that it sounded like its old, gravelly, abrasive self. "Fight seriously! Don't hold back just 'cause I'm at a disadvantage. That's not like you." 

"All right," agreed the taiyoukai blandly. Stepping forward with stately grace, the demon lord almost seemed to glide over the grass toward his brother. Inuyasha glared at him. Without even breaking a sweat, or breathing deeply, Sesshoumaru had brought him to this. Their eyes met, and the taiyoukai smiled slightly, before he disappeared from sight, and slammed his hand into the back of Inuyasha's neck, where the spine met the skull. Perhaps it was dirty, but the hanyou had told him to end the fight, hadn't he? 

Picking his brother up like a sack of potatoes and securing his legs over one shoulder, the demon turned to look at the rest of Inuyasha's group, before gathering his youki cloud and lifting off the ground. Rin would be all right with these humans for the time being. He felt certain that the little miko would allow his ward to come to no harm. 

"Sesshoumaru!" cried the miko, "Wait!" 

Her plaintive call was echoed simultaneously by his retainer, but the demon lord never looked back. 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When he awoke, he had the headache of the century, and he was wearing a lady's kimono. Several layers in fact. Instantly he leapt from the bed, and began tearing off his clothes in terror. Wait, bed? Why was he in a bed? 

Staring at the innocent futon in furious anger, he kicked it across the room, watching it skitter into the side of the wall. Other than the futon, the blanket, and his self, the room was completely bare, and the blank shoji screens that surrounded him seemed to mock his ignorance of these surroundings. The building smelled slightly familiar, but he didn't know why that was. Breathing deeply, he scented Sesshoumaru, a layer of dust, and something… else. It smelled like home. Where was this place?

No answers came from the empty walls, so he marched resolutely toward the screen door, ready to slide it open, violently lifting it right off its tracks. But as he swung his hand forward, the appendage came into contact with a barrier. It hissed and sputtered as his claws scraped for the door, and Inuyasha was forced backward, cradling his hand. 

He tried the other door, with similar results. The walls too were covered with this invisible barrier. Finally, the impatient hanyou resorted to punching holes in the floor, only to find the barrier had been placed beneath the floorboards as well. Someone had done a very thorough job at containing him. The barrier would not even respond to his blood claw attacks. Wishing he had the Red Tessaiga with him, he moped for a few moments, before surrendering to boredom. 

And boy, was he ever bored. As the hours crept by, the monotony grew until it was an oppressive weight on his chest. He counted all the panels in the shoji screen walls. He punched additional holes in the floor and used the wood to begin a carving with his claws. He attempted to see how long he could continue to live without breathing. The tedium was endless. 

Where was Sesshoumaru? Obviously his brother had brought him here, so why wasn't the bastard in the room, picking on him? It was night outside already, and he wondered if his companions were okay. Perhaps Sesshoumaru had gone back for Kagome? Growling fiercely at the thought, he hoped this was not the case. If that son of a bitch even looked at the miko the wrong way, he would rip his brother limb from limb. 

At last, not knowing what else to do, Inuyasha began screaming. "Sesshoumaru! Get your filthy stinking carcass in here! You hear me! I won't stand for this kind of treatment from a pompous, cowardly loser!" 

It was the yelling which finally hooked his brother and drew him toward the room. Sesshoumaru had been trying to let his half… er… full-youkai sibling rest and calm down after a trying day, but his incessant obscenities disturbed the servants. Really, the boy had no sense of decency. 

Sliding the shoji open, the white demon stood patiently outside the doorway, watching as his sibling's eyes narrowed into slits. In order to avoid a fight, it would probably be best to answer any questions from here, he decided. With that, Sesshoumaru slid gracefully to the floor and crossed his legs. 

"Yes, brother?" intoned the taiyoukai, as if he had all the time in the world. 

It took a moment for Inuyasha to regain his bearings. He had been counting on sparring with his overbearing half-brother immediately, but it seemed as though the coward was unwilling to enter the room. And to go and say things like that… Not once in his life could Inuyasha actually remember Sesshoumaru calling 'brother.' It figured that the bastard finally would _start_ calling him such, when he wasn't one anymore. Technically now he was a 'sister' if anything. 

Yet it did demonstrate a family bond, and a little respect. In addition, it meant that Sesshoumaru did not see him as a… a female. This, of course, was very, very good. So perhaps he could try to reason his way out of this situation, instead of punching through any obstacles he encountered. 

"You'd better not be the one who changed my clothing," Inuyasha growled threateningly. An excellent opening, if he did say so himself! Let the damn prig know that he wasn't intimidated, and he was unwilling to take any crap. 

"Of course not," replied the taiyoukai calmly. "Servants did it."

"Next, I'm not attracted to men!" snarled the hanyou, "Regardless of the body I inhabit!"

For a moment, this gave the white demon pause. Sesshoumaru tilted his head to the side slightly, considering the notion, his silvery hair shifting over the blue moon crest on his forehead. Hadn't the boy been listening earlier, while he explained the situation? Somehow he had thought Inuyasha would understand. "It is not about attraction," the taiyoukai explained slowly. 

"What's it about then?" grumbled his half-sibling, rebelliously crossing his arms over his chest, only to discover his brand-new bosom got in the way of the gesture, causing him to look ridiculous. 

"Duty." 

The Lord of the West could think of no better way to spell things out, so he did not elaborate further, and the silence grated on the already frayed nerves of his guest. "You make no sense!" barked Inuyasha, finally losing his patience, "Why not wish someone ELSE into a female inu-youkai? Like Rin for instance? I'm sure she would love to serve her lord in every way."

Immediately, Sesshoumaru's expression darkened. "Listen carefully, _hanyou_," he responded ominously, lacing his words with venom out of habit, despite the fact that his brother was no longer a half-demon. "You will never again imply such obscenity concerning Rin. I will not be so lenient in the future. This Sesshoumaru thought a half-inu such as yourself would be closest to understanding the life of a full-inuyoukai. It would never do to foist such an ordeal on the unprepared, such as the kitsune did with your miko."

Although the slur on his lineage should have offended him, it did not. In fact, Inuyasha never even heard the word 'hanyou' out of his half-brother's mouth. Instead, a feeling of possessive ire blossomed in his chest as the taiyoukai mentioned _his_ kitsune. "Shippo didn't mean to do anything wrong! Maybe he's an idiot, but you have no right to insult him." 

Shocked by his own vehemence, Inuyasha wondered where this sudden feeling had come from, and whether this was how his brother felt toward those he was assigned to protect. If so, no wonder the taiyoukai had become irritable when he implied Rin was some kind of a harlot. Obviously it wasn't true, the girl was just a child; she was purity personified. He had only said it because he was mad. But that didn't give Sesshoumaru leave to insult the fox-kit either!

"Argh!" he groaned in frustration, "I cannot believe I am having this conversation with you. Look, the offer still stands! I will give you Tessaiga, if you let me go. And what'dya mean you're no longer interested? What the hell? You've always been after Tessaiga! The only reason you stopped trying was because I beat your ass with the Kaze no Kizu!"

"Incorrect," stated the demon flatly, back to being his usual, unflappable self. "I stopped coming after the blade when I learned that you needed it to control your demon-blood."

And right then, Inuyasha learned something about his brother. 

At a loss for words in the light of his realization, he couldn't think, he could barely even breathe around the panic that gripped his throat. _No,_ he thought desperately. _No, that's not why. It's because I beat him. It's because of the barrier on the sword. It's because he was honoring Father's wishes. He's never cared about me. Never._

But the fact remained, hovering in the air between them. Sesshoumaru, icy demon-lord of the West, had indeed ceased all pursuit of the Tessaiga the same day he learned his brother's sanity depended on owning it. After that day, Inuyasha could not remember a single instance when his half-brother had tried to steal the sword. It was possible. 

He might not be lying. 

Worst of all, Inuyasha realized he wanted it to be true. More than anything in his life, he had looked up to his brother, and until he had found Kikyou, he had always wanted to be a full-youkai, to live up to his family's expectations. It had been years since he met Kikyou, of course, and now he had Kagome, Shippo, Miroku and Sango… but a small part of him, safely locked away, still pined for acceptance. And now, the son of a bitch was saying he _cared_?

"I…" muttered Inuyasha, unsure of himself for the first time in decades, "You're such a bastard." His voice was too high, and it unnerved him how weak he sounded, so he growled and turned away, unhappy with the whole ordeal. Why couldn't things be simple? Why did his half-brother always have to ruin his life? 

As Inuyasha faced away, the taiyoukai stood smoothly and suppressed a sigh, "This Sesshoumaru will leave you to your thoughts, then."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: No part of Sesshoumaru is mine – not even my dreams of him.

Author Note: Whoa, that last chapter was almost… serious. Don't worry, it won't continue long. 

**Brotherly Love 05:**

It had been seven days. A full week of rest and relaxation, allowing his brother time to adjust to the changes in his figure, and _still_ the insolent brat insisted upon being difficult. Sesshoumaru was frustrated by Inuyasha's continued refusal to bend. What was so hard to understand about duty to family? There were no unattached inu-youkai females left in Japan. His brother was already part of the family, already grasped the basic dog-demon powers and attacks, and this was the only way to accept him back into the fold. They didn't have to like each other, no attraction was necessary at all; the only requirement was to secure the throne! 

Plus, the boy had the foulest mouth he had ever encountered. For many years he had blamed his brother's complete lack of manners and sense on the_human _mother who raised him, Izayoi. The boy hadn't been with her long, but perhaps a disposition for rude human behavior had come through in his blood. Still though, the superior training he received as a member of the silver-inu clan should have rid him of such habits long ago. When Inuyasha had run away, losing himself in the world of humans, it had obviously set him back by years. The hanyou orphan had regressed horribly. And frankly, his dirty mouth was getting on Sesshoumaru's nerves. Every time he visited his sibling, nothing could be accomplished for all the insults and invectives being hurled in his general direction. 

How could he get through to his brash half-sibling? Somehow he _had_ to make his brother understand the way things stood, before he could get around to what he _really_ wanted to be doing, which was courting the miko. Otherwise, the miko would protest his treatment of Inuyasha, and Inuyasha would protest his interest in her, and everything would remain the fine mucked-up mess it had been before they wished on the Jewel. 

From what he had seen, the miko was a kind, forgiving sort, and she opened her heart to everyone in turn. Hopefully she would be more reasonable than her guardian, and they would spend only a little time arguing, before moving on to more enjoyable pursuits like…

"Sesshoumaru! You can't keep me here forever!" screamed the impatient prisoner. "Lemme out!"

Jaken grumbled to hear such a raucous outburst in a normally peaceful home, but made no other objection. Astonishing. It seemed even a kappa understood the severity of the situation! But then, there hadn't been any women in his underling's tribe all those years ago either, from what he could remember. Briefly, Sesshoumaru wondered if his retainer was lonely. 

The spasm of pity quickly passed, and he returned to normal, still pondering what to do about his unruly relative. He could introduce her to Mother… No, his mother was still miffed about Father's affair, and would probably fail to see the humor in having a bastard step-daughter now, instead of a bastard step-son. Death was the likely result. 

On the other hand, he could just beat Inuyasha into submission. Such a tactic had never worked properly in the past, but perhaps things would be different this time. A full dog-demon's instincts might force Inuyasha to recognize him as a pack-leader. And at the very least it would be good practice. His sibling hadn't left the room in days. 

Yes, it seemed like a viable plan. Patience was a virtue, but violence was faster. Grabbing a set of wooden practice swords from the dojo, Sesshoumaru strode purposefully toward his captive's chambers.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Kagome leaned back against the well and sighed heavily. Well, at least she understood Midoriko's cryptic warning now. It was definitely more difficult to have the well active than sealed. If she had disappeared, never to return, her family would feared the worst, but assumed the best, always hoping that she had lived a full life in the Sengoku Jidai. But this way… To say the least, her mother had not been pleased to discover her daughter had turned into a mythical creature. The truth hurt sometimes. 

Yet she had needed to inform them. With the changes in her sensory range, and a sudden influx of uncontrollable powers, she found she needed her family's support now more than ever. They were her firm ground, something stable to hold on to in a shifting sea of transformation. 

And where was Inuyasha? She had assumed the taiyoukai would not actually hurt his own brother. _Half-brother, _she corrected herself mentally, before wincing. _Okay, half-sister now, I guess._

When they had fought a week ago, she had assumed they were merely blowing off steam. Neither one had made any real effort to trounce his opponent. Swords had not been drawn. Even when Sesshoumaru had flown away with Inuyasha's prone form, she had assumed the best – they were probably just going somewhere private to 'talk' (a.k.a. finish ripping each other to shreds without interference.) 

But as the days passed, she became more and more alarmed. Inuyasha did not have the Tessaiga; it was resting weightily in her palm, instead. Luckily, the Tessaiga accepted her loving, protective nature, despite the fact she was a youkai now. Yet she had not put in down in a week, intending to give it back to her love the moment he returned. Could the taiyoukai have been serious about … that?

_Surely not! I mean_, she reasoned, _They are still siblings, right? _

But what if Inuyasha was out there… helpless against his brother's demands? And what if his half-brother really demanded … _that?_

Argh! She couldn't even think the words. Years of prudish behavior and forcibly repressed desires, and now she might never be normal again. And her best friend, her first love, might be in dire straights right at this very moment! 

Worst of all, there was nothing she could do about it. She didn't know where Sesshoumaru lived, and even if they somehow found his residence, what could she say? He had not been interested in bargaining for the Tessaiga, and the only other thing he desired from their group was… apparently… her. Also an alarming concept in its own right. 

Maybe they could withhold Rin! It would not count as kidnapping, because Rin would be happy and never know the difference. They could merely refuse to return her until he returned Inuyasha. An exchange of prisoners, so to speak. Except Rin was not a prisoner. And if the taiyoukai really wanted her back, there was little anyone could do to stop him, unless the group was willing to traumatize Rin and endanger the entire village. 

At least one good thing had happened since Inuyasha disappeared. Rin and Kohaku had grown fond of one another, and the boy was clearly on the road to recovery. Kohaku had traveled with Sesshoumaru's group for a time, and the two kids had a lot in common – a strange fascination with a certain stoic taiyoukai being the first item on the list. Obviously, these two would make a good match someday, even if they were still too young to see it. 

Inhaling deeply, she savored the new scents and sounds of her world and decided begrudgingly that being a full-demon was not such a bad deal. As Shippo had pointed out, at least she would live as long as Inuyasha and her precious kitsune son. And because of the well, she would be able to see her family both in the past _and_ in the future, as long as she remained careful and never crossed paths with her future self. Assuming that she lived that long, of course. She was still a mite puzzled about the lack of youkai in the modern era… 

With one last prayer that Inuyasha was okay, she rose in a graceful leap and bounded down the hill to greet her friends. 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"No way am I surrendering to you," snarled Inuyasha, "Doesn't matter what you say."

"You would rather the miko take your place then?" taunted the taiyoukai. 

"Aaaah!" the shorter demon shrieked in an outraged, effeminate voice. "You leave her out of this!" Charging toward his brother once more, Inuyasha made it halfway across the courtyard before his elder stopped the attack with one swipe. 

Their bokken met with a resounding crack, and Inuyasha quickly realized he would be unable to hold the pose. With his smaller form, it was all he could do to meet his brother's attacks; holding off Sesshoumaru's full weight with this wooden toy was impossible. And how did the bastard employ energy attacks, without using a demonic blade? It was completely unfair. 

Little by little, Inuyasha realized he was losing ground in the courtyard. Frantically, he shredded a few paving stones with his Soul-Reaving Claw attack, creating a diversionary mist of powdered rock, and took this opportunity to leap above his opponent. He couldn't outrun the bastard, but a sound knock on the head from this height would slow anyone down, even the Lord of the West. 

Except as the haze cleared, his brother was gone. A shadow alerted him to the presence above, and he found himself crashing to the ground, an energy charged bokken in his back. _Owww!_ moaned Inuyasha internally, gritting his teeth to avoid letting on how much the move had hurt. _Not fair! How does he infest a wooden practice sword with youki? It's physically impossible! _

Flipping onto his back, he prepared to push off with his elbows, only to realize he was trapped against the gravel. The stones below were hot from the summer sun, and a trail of sweat beaded down his face, attracting his adversary's attention. His youkai opponent had maneuvered him into a sort of triangular hold. Sesshoumaru was kneeling at his side, swordpoint at his neck, trapping him beneath the larger man's torso. Inuyasha growled in defiance. Unfortunately, this only increased the smug look on his elder brother's face, as he pressed down with the tip of the bokken, and it swelled with a sickly green power once again. Inuyasha could smell the acrid scent of poison pooling at the tip of the blade, yet somehow it failed to melt the fragile practice instrument. 

"Surrender," his brother demanded coldly. 

"No way."

"You will," growled the taiyoukai, changing his stance to entrap one of Inuyasha's legs. 

"Go to hell!" Inuyasha shouted angrily, knowing that in such close quarters the sound would pierce his brother's ears. In fact, the volume of his voice hurt his _own _ears. But Sesshoumaru kept his composure and merely smirked as a drop of shimmering poison gathered and fell toward his rival's flesh. 

Rival? Yes, strangely enough. Inuyasha was still his rival, now more than ever before. If the headstrong youkai did not surrender his claim to the miko, the miko might have reservations moving on to greener pastures, such as him. And although Inuyasha was cuter now that _he_was a _she_, a relationship between them still seemed impossible. He wasn't a rapist, and he knew full well that his brother would never agree to such terms. But submission wasn't just about mating – it was about dominance. And she would submit. 

_She?_Sesshoumaru momentarily pondered this new development. It was the first time he had thought of his brother as a girl, without forcibly reminding himself to do so. Even now, the situation felt strange, although he had been the one to make the wish. He wondered if Inuyasha would learn one day to see himself in this new light too, as a different gender. 

Probably not. His little brother had always been stubborn and resistant to change. And in the end, this was just as well, because it was all he could do to remember his original goal as the enticing little morsel squirmed beneath his legs. Knowing the person inside was a male, and convincing his body of that truth, were two completely different matters. Especially when her figure felt warm and tempting, and had very, very voluptuous curves…

Watching his brother's eyes narrow, Inuyasha decided he didn't like the look he was receiving one bit. His brother seemed distracted from the fight, and his eyes were almost fiery with warmth. Usually when his brother glared at him, it meant he was about to be skewered on the sharp side of a sword, but this time… He didn't know what to think.

Then, the falling drop of poison made contact with Inuyasha's skin, and all thought ceased. It felt like the world had burst into flames. By all that was holy, it was ten times worse than ever before – and he had been doused with generous amounts of Sesshoumaru's toxins in the past! Howling in agony, he writhed against his brother's hold, then went limp as the green sludge ate through the skin in his neck and entered his bloodstream. 

For some reason, relaxing eased the pain slightly. Emphasis on the word_slightly_. Unable to fathom why it hurt so much, a whimper escaped Inuyasha's lips and he chastised himself for displaying such weakness. But anything was better than such torture, wasn't it? Wait! That wasn't right. He had to get up, had to fight this…

"Sesshoumaru," he spat angrily, "What did you do to me?"

"Hn," his brother remarked, unhelpfully cryptic in his response. "Perhaps the blood does have some instincts after all. Shall I draw out the poison?"

The burning sensation had not abated, and Inuyasha felt a tendril of dread coiling around his intestines, as he realized this level of pain had arisen from one drop, just _one drop_, of the _Dokkasou_ on his skin If his bastard of a brother had so much power over him, how could he possibly prevail? 

He was going to have to cheat. If he could trick Sesshoumaru into lowering his guard, then he could run him through with a claw attack. In such close quarters, the attack would surely hit. 

Nodding his head in agreement, Inuyasha hoped his latest plan would work. The taiyoukai lowered his face to the wound, and the hanyou whimpered again, all while reassuring his bruised ego it was only a ploy to soften the opponent's defenses. He was absolutely not surrendering. Not at all. 

A touch of tongue to skin, and he flinched away, afraid this was a bad idea after all – but then, he could feel the poison neutralizing, his brother's saliva taking effect as Sesshoumaru gently licked the afflicted area clean. Warmth surged through his muscles, as his brain memorized the novel sensation. With long, slow strokes of his tongue, the taiyoukai seemed to drain away more than just the toxins in his bloodstream; he loosened the tension in his body as well. 

Sesshoumaru rumbled a low growl of approval deep in his chest, pleased that his unruly partner was finally behaving. And for a moment, all Inuyasha could think was… _Wow, I had no idea his tongue could be so smooth…_ All ideas of an attack forgotten, the young youkai relaxed further in his brother's hold, his head dipping back to scrape the ground. 

Perhaps, it was so remarkable for the taiyoukai to sound _happy_ that Inuyasha's shock was excusable. But, whether the behavior was reasonable or not, it did not change the anger Inuyasha felt, when he realized what he was doing. _Shit!_ he cursed in silent horror, _I'm enjoying this! No way!_

"You sick bastard!" he shrieked then, hating himself and blaming his brother, "Get off me!" With a well-placed shove, he managed to unseat his brother and roll their bodies apart. 

Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru's claws had pierced the fabric of Inuyasha's kimono during their little… interlude… and this move only worsened the situation. Because Inuyasha never understood how to properly tie an_obi_, nor did he grasp the mechanics of fighting in women's clothing, the garment was already loose, and his frantic maneuver pulled the kimono open completely. 

He could feel a draft of cooling air on his chest and heard his brother inhale sharply in surprise. _Well, at least it got a reaction out of him, _thought Inuyasha glumly. Feminine modesty he did not have. General embarrassment though? Definitely. When the lecher merely continued to stare, Inuyasha growled in frustration and yanked the fabric back in his direction. It ripped to shreds, one sleeve and half the top remaining in his brother's fist, and the other half limply hanging from his now almost fully exposed torso. 

Quickly tearing a length of fabric from the bottom of the kimono, Inuyasha wrapped it around his chest, grumbling about the unfairness of life. But it was not the sight of a female body that had stunned Sesshoumaru. These, he had seen before. What had left him speechless were the hundreds of silver and red scars tracing their way across Inuyasha's figure, from front to back. 

How could the boy have gotten so many? He wasn't old enough to be so scarred. The marks were of various ages, some so pale they were almost white, and others so red they must have come from the recent fight against Naraku. He saw scars from every conceivable kind of weapon – claws, blades, blunt instruments, puncture wounds… Even, he noted, one from the time he had put a hand through Inuyasha's chest, a lasting testament to how he had treated his little brother in the past. 

And right then, Sesshoumaru learned something about his brother.

The taiyoukai was not used to feeling guilty, so it took a while to sink in, but when it did it stung like hell. At first, he tried to blame Inuyasha's hanyou heritage. _If the boy had been born a full-demon_, he reasoned, _his healing capabilities would have been better, and he would never have formed so many scars_. Yet this did not change the fact that he had such a huge _number_ of them. It was appalling. It looked like everyone, including idiotic human villagers with pitchforks, had gotten in a cheap shot. 

He had announced once that Inuyasha was his to kill. Had he really believed it would keep others from hunting and hurting the hanyou? 

After a long pause, the silk sleeve he had been holding fluttered to the ground, and Sesshoumaru took to the sky without a word, leaving behind a puzzled Inuyasha. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't make any money from fanfiction madness. Sheesh. 

Author Note: My SessKag fans are mad that Inuyasha is taking over the story, and the SessInu fans are confused why Kagome is even there… sniffle. I hope you all enjoy it!

WARNING: This story will contain Sess/Kag, Sess/Inu, Inu/Kag relationships - all three! Please be warned of the "Mature" rating of the story. 

**Brotherly Love 06:**

"Get up."

The command didn't make sense at first. Inuyasha was too tired from his experience the day before to process words well. After an exhausting fight with his brother, he had decided to make the best of Sesshoumaru's absence and attempt an escape. Using his new sensory abilities to check if anyone else was nearby, he had leapt to the rooftops, only to discover a shield barrier now surrounded that entire wing of the castle. 

It was unfortunate that his escape attempt had failed so quickly, but still, it had been good to explore. For a few hours Inuyasha had enjoyed his freedom, wandering through the corridors of a seemingly empty palace-wing that smelled vaguely like home, although he knew it was not. For an ex-hanyou, any feeling of belonging, even a false one, was a welcome diversion. After sunset, he had returned to his rooms, falling asleep to the soothing sound of crickets and a gentle nighttime breeze. 

Yet his sleep had been _too_ restful, it seemed. His brother had snuck up on him – again – and was now standing over him with a sword. Gah! This back and forth, passive-aggressive behavior was getting on his nerves. Why didn't the bastard kill him already? 

"Get up," the taiyoukai repeated, dropping a bundle of items at his side. "We will train." 

Inuyasha came fully awake at this. Any more training like yesterday, and he was going to need new clothes immediately. Indeed, it seemed his brother had thought along the same lines. There, on the floor lay hakama and gi for him to wear! At last a respectable, masculine outfit! Even if it hugged his effeminate figure in all the wrong places, he could fight much better in men's clothing than a kimono. Tearing the remains of his once-beautiful kimono into pieces, Inuyasha used the scraps to bind his chest, and dressed in the proffered clothing, privately swearing he would never allow his brother to clothe him like a girl again. 

Sesshoumaru was waiting for him outside the room, and as he entered the hallway, the white demon moved away, authoritatively gliding over wooden planks in the floor without a sound. Inuyasha suppressed a twinge of excitement when he realized they were walking in a new direction, not toward the courtyard. Yes, it was disgusting to follow along behind his brother like an obedient puppy, but for the moment, he was eager to know where they were going. 

As if in response to the unspoken question, Sesshoumaru explained curtly, "It is unacceptable that you can no longer use Tessaiga effectively. You fought better as a pitiful hanyou. This will change."

Bristling at his brother's sneering tone, one he had heard often over the years, Inuyasha instantly lost his temper. "Ya, well look who can't touch the sword at all?" 

"After considering the problem at length, this Sesshoumaru has come to a conclusion," continued the taiyoukai, calmly ignoring his younger sibling's taunt. "The Tessaiga does not respond to those with full-demon blood, yet it does respond to those with a desire to protect. Although these things seem incompatible, perhaps if the user's desire to protect is stronger than the impact of his full-youkai blood, then the barrier will drop."

Inuyasha had never really thought about it like that. As a hanyou, he had accepted Tessaiga as a gift from the gods. His mighty father, the Inu no Taisho, had wanted him to have it, so the sword's barrier had been designed to keep all others away (namely Sesshoumaru). Yet the blade blocked all _youkai_, and surely his youkai father had used the blade too. At the very least, he had placed barriers on the sword before his death. So, it was fair to assume the Inu no Taisho must have touched the blade at least once, _after_ the barriers were created. How could that be possible, unless Sesshoumaru was right? 

There was more to the story, of course. Sesshoumaru had carefully left out the word "human" from his little speech. A desire to protect (_humans_) was needed to truly wield the sword. Er… at least this was the way Kagome had explained it to him. Once again he wondered how Kagome had deduced such a fact, and whether she had understood the situation correctly. Did his brother know something they didn't? 

Wrapped up in his thoughts, Inuyasha did not even pause when they reached the dojo and the ceiling suddenly stretched up into the rafters. This indoor practice space was huge compared to other rooms in the castle, and if he hadn't been so focused on the mystery of Tessaiga, Inuyasha would have been enraptured by the space. Truly, his brother had the money and resources of a lord. 

Instead, the sword occupied his attention, forcing Inuyasha to realize a wrinkle in his brother's plan. "Hey wait! How can I train with Tessaiga, if it isn't here?" 

With one brow raised, the taiyoukai carefully inspected his little brother's face. Surely, his own flesh and blood was not so obtuse. Obviously, he had retrieved said item, so it could be used. As to_how_ he had retrieved it… Well…

"Inuyasha!" a familiar voice yelled from one side, "You came!" 

There, tied to the wall, was Kagome. Inuyasha whipped around upon hearing his name, but he did not recognize her for a moment, since her scent and figure were fundamentally different as a demoness. However, he would have known her shrill tone anywhere. How many times had he rescued her from life-threatening situations and heard that yell? 

"Kagome?!" the ex-hanyou blurted out, feeling like the world had suddenly tilted on its axis. What in the world was she doing here? In Sesshoumaru's domain? No! It could only mean one thing. "Sesshoumaru, you arrogant asshole, what did you do to her?" 

With a subtle, satisfied smirk, the elder youkai faced his sibling. Amazing that it had taken the youth so long to notice the miko's predicament. "It was my understanding," he answered haughtily, "that you needed something to protect?"

Tense silence held sway over the dojo's inhabitants for a moment, before Inuyasha understood the hidden threat in his brother's words. If he didn't win this fight, then Kagome would die. As usual, the thought of her peril enraged and worried him all at once. His blood heated up, and he felt a frustrated scream waiting to burst from his chest, but he refused to vent his anger. First he needed to beat this arrogant asshole once and for all! And for that, he needed to master the Tessaiga. Er… Re-master it… Again. 

Growling with as much menace as he could muster, Inuyasha stepped forward, and his brother threw him the weapon. As the Fang of his father soared through the air, he reached up to catch it instinctively – this time, it did not deny him. With a satisfied smirk, Inuyasha scoffed at his brother. Perhaps this would be easier than he had thought. The instant he imagined Kagome in danger, the blade accepted him. All that remained was to pound his over-confident, ill-tempered sibling with a couple of Kaze no Kizu, and they could go home. Didn't Sesshoumaru realize a 'Red' Tessaiga attack could break any barriers placed around the castle to restrain him? 

Kagome, on the other hand, watched and wondered what the taiyoukai had up his sleeve. Using a sword was not the same thing as mastering it, and she fully recalled Inuyasha's past difficulties with this concept. The way things stood now, if he stopped concentrating even for a moment, the barrier on the blade would reject him. Plus, she had a sinking feeling that the deck was stacked in Sesshoumaru's favor. Even if Inuyasha won the battle, he would lose the war, for by successfully using Tessaiga, he would demonstrate to his brother how to wield it as a full-demon. The taiyoukai might simply take the sword, once he understood how to bypass its safety-guards. 

And then there was the little matter of her situation…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sure enough, half-way through the fight, Inuyasha succumbed to his brother's taunts, and forgot he was supposed to be 'protecting' her, during the fight. The hissing of electricity and a clatter of metal against wood awoke her from her stupor, and she looked up to see her protector, eyes-closed, on the ground. 

_Oops_, Kagome thought with chagrin. _I guess I zoned out for a while._ It wasn't that the fight was uninteresting. Watching two super-powered demons try to kill each other was always fascinating, especially when chained to a wall, with a front row seat. Yet she had seen this particular scenario so many times, and the boys had behaved this way for so many years… After a while, she found herself focusing on the discomfort in her arms and wrists instead. These chains were so uncomfortable! 

Besides, she already had known how the fight would end. 

Turning toward her now, Sesshoumaru came closer, his silent tread at odds with his deep breathing. Silvery white hair hung thickly about his face, damp after his workout. Good. At least Inuyasha had given him a hard time of it. 

As he drew near, Kagome shrank back against the wall and glared at the taiyoukai. "You promised you wouldn't hurt him," she reminded him sharply. 

"He is unharmed," came a quick reply. 

Was it her imagination, or was Sesshoumaru actually tired? He seemed to be doing a good job of hiding it… But he wasn't meeting her eyes, and his movements were sluggish compared to his usual fluidity. 

"Well, aren't you going to let me down from here?" Despite her deal with the demon lord, Kagome was anxious to check on Inuyasha personally. 'Unharmed' in the language of youkai could mean anything from 'mildly injured' to 'seriously maimed.' 

At this, his golden eyes seemed to glaze over, and he hesitated. 

Surely, he was not seriously contemplating the question? Shifting uneasily, Kagome wriggled in place. Really, there was nothing to think about – she would make a terrible wall-decoration. Noisy, smelly, and irritable to boot. Wall-art was supposed to be pleasant and agreeable. 

Tugging on her chains to show what she thought of the delay, the miko cleared her throat. "That was sort of a rhetorical question. Given that we have an agreement and all, and I know you will not go back on your word."

"Of course, miko." With a brief nod, the taiyoukai unclasped her arms from the bindings and removed himself a few paces, still looking at her strangely, but without the vacant, worrisome look of a few seconds ago. Kagome edged around him, shivering as his eyes followed her every movement across the floor, and quickly she made her way to her best friend's side. 

It was cold of him to do this at all, but the demon had played fair. True to his word, Inuyasha lay unharmed, only unconscious. Relieved, she gently reached out to touch his head, where lovely, silver ears had been once. Yes, she was going to miss those. With her attention totally focused on Inuyasha, Kagome never saw the taiyoukai quickly glance away, as her hand stroked silver hair. 

Apologizing to her long-time protector in her heart, Kagome prayed things were better this way. Sesshoumaru had come to her with a proposal, one even stranger than his last. He wished to train his half-brother to use Tessaiga, and for that he would need her assistance. In return, she would agree to live at the Western Lord's castle until the training was complete. It had been an unexpected suggestion, and quite generous of the taiyoukai really. Of course, this was exactly what made it so bizarre. When had Sesshoumaru ever taken the time to 'train' his brother in the past? Why begin now? 

After asking a number of questions, to ensure it was not a trick, Kagome had agreed upon certain conditions. One, she must be allowed to stay by Inuyasha's side. Two, the taiyoukai had to promise not to hurt her friends, any of them! And finally, once Inuyasha had mastered the Tessaiga, they were to be freed, unconditionally. 

The last qualification she had tacked on as a safety valve, knowing the taiyoukai could easily side-step the demand, by stating that Inuyasha had not 'mastered' the sword yet. However, it ensured Sesshoumaru would not push his brother too hard, and it meant that Inuyasha would strive to train as quickly and vigorously as possible. Plus, it had distracted Sesshoumaru from thinking too hard about her first two requests. 

A fact which was bothering the taiyoukai, at this point. She had insisted on access to Inuyasha's quarters, to be near his side. Which meant the two companions would be together again. Two lovely lady demons, sharing a room, right beside his own, and neither one of them showing a whit of interest in paying any attention to him at all. The elder demon didn't know quite to make of it. 

"I shall return him to his chambers now," announced the white demon, stiffly. 

The miko nodded sadly and moved away, casting such an innocent, longing look toward Inuyasha that Sesshoumaru had to refrain from growling. It would never do to let her know how deeply the situation was affecting him. Quite frankly though, it was. Somehow his half-brother always seemed to disrupt his plans – why hadn't he killed the brat when he had the chance? So many opportunities lost. 

Unknown to the taiyoukai's disgruntled thoughts though, the miko was currently enthralled by the picturesque image he presented. It had always bothered her that the two brothers could never get along. Oh, there had been plenty of other worries to occupy her mind – Miroku's wind tunnel, Sango's tragic past, her dubious life in the future… But if she had been asked to name one personal pet peeve, it would have been watching these two brothers battle over the smallest things, every time they came into contact. Families, she believed, should stick together. When her Father had died, the rest of the family had grown close, not purposefully driven each other apart. 

But as Sesshoumaru cradled his brother's womanly figure and carried him to their chambers, Kagome watched and wondered. It was a beautiful scene, for all its weirdness. The elder youkai unconsciously handled his little brother with care, demonstrating a softer side that she hadn't known he possessed, and their silvery hair mingled as Inuyasha shifted softly on his brother's shoulder, curling inward as if seeking comfort. Truly, they presented a picture of unearthly beauty, and their blood-ties showed even more clearly when they were side by side. _Perhaps_, she mused at last, _Sesshoumaru isn't any more honest with himself and others, than Inuyasha is._

In the past, he had tried to kill them, and he never failed to state his perpetual hatred of all things human and hanyou, so it seemed beyond strange for Sesshoumaru to make such a wish. Yet Midoriko had looked into his heart and stated with conviction that the wish was unselfish. The old Sesshoumaru, proud and powerful, who attacked them in his Father's gravesite from greed and hatred, seemed irreconcilable with the new Sesshoumaru, who protected Rin and sought to avenge Kagura. Yes, the wish had been highly inappropriate, and it was the wrong way to go about asking for… female companionship, but the taiyoukai had never been good at speaking his mind. Maybe he was tongue-tied, like Inuyasha, when it came to all things female. Maybe he was lonely too. 

Even before Naraku's defeat, she had begun to re-evaluate him. Her opinion of him had changed upon meeting Rin, and the feeling had only grown stronger when he rescued her from Mukotsu. But when they had happened upon him in the meadow where Kagura died, she thought she had never seen such sorrow on his face. The rest of the group had been trying to observe Kagura – after all, they had been chasing her scent, not Sesshoumaru, but Kagome had found herself watching him, watching her. After that, she couldn't help but feel he was not as apathetic as he made himself out to be. 

And now, she had a new puzzle to work on, a new facet of his character to consider. 

If only Miroku were here! He was far better at evaluating people. But her friends had agreed to remain in the village, while she 'rescued' Inuyasha, all the while hoping against hope that it wouldn't come down to that. 

As Sesshoumaru laid his brother on a futon, in the stark, empty room they had been allotted, she bowed to the white demon and noticed his eyes go wide with surprise. What? Was it really that unbelievable that she would show respect to him? 

Okay, maybe it was. She had always been rude in the past. But this one time, he had been decent – he was trying to help his little brother, so she would do her best to help him too. With a tentative smile, she bid the taiyoukai a good-evening, and turned to face her friend. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: If I write enough fanfiction, eventually I will go insane, and then at least I can _believe_ that I own Inuyasha's characters, even though it isn't true.

Author Note: WARNING – lemony content ahead – If you aren't satisfied with the first pairing, don't worry – there will be others. Also, please remember Inuyasha refers to himself as a 'guy' because he still feels like he is one on the inside. 

**Brotherly Love 07:**

The first thing he saw when his eyes fluttered open was Kagome. And for the first time in many years, he did not confuse her with Kikyou, even for a second. Her face had blue-green stripes on each cheek, and her aura was swirling with color. No, she was nothing like his lost-love anymore. 

As consciousness returned, the ex-hanyou remembered more troubling things. He was in the barren room again, the place of his confinement. Only this time, he was not alone. But that wasn't right. Kagome was supposed to be safe, far from here. Yet he had fought Sesshoumaru to rescue her, and then… "Kagome!" He shot straight up from the futon, fully awake at last. "Are you all right?" 

She turned toward him with a delighted expression and threw herself onto the bed alongside him. "Inuyasha, you're up! You slept through dinner." 

This was, to say the least, a most unexpected reply. She had a way of doing that to him – whenever she was nearby, his world turned upside down and his hold on reality slipped. It was just her way of doing business. Kagome was moody, unpredictable, and literally out-of-this-world. 

Perhaps 'you slept through dinner' was a futuristic way of saying 'I'm fine, we escaped, Sesshoumaru is dead, and you're a boy again.' Just for good measure, he checked. Nope, still female. And besides, they were still in his bastard half-brother's castle. Why was she being so casual about it?

The wavy, black haired miko reached out and ruffled his bangs, once she had his full attention. Apparently nothing could keep her from touching his head, even after the fuzzy ears had disappeared. Overjoyed to see her, yet wary in case Sesshoumaru was still around, he spoke softly, "You're here."

"Yep!" With a giant grin and a chipper tone, Kagome armed herself for her toughest battle yet. Persuading Inuyasha to stay at his brother's castle, and convincing him that she hadn't turned traitor while he slept. "How do you feel? That was a nasty bump on your head." 

"I'm… fine…" murmured Inuyasha in quiet amazement. "Did he… hurt you?"

"No, not at all," Kagome admitted, a guilty blush staining her cheeks. Before he could ask about it, she plunged ahead, eager to start her story. "Sesshoumaru came to the village a week after you left, and he said that you were staying here for a while, and that he wanted to help you… um… learn how to master the Tessaiga." 

But although Kagome had feared an angry interruption and flat-out disbelief at this point, Inuyasha said nothing in response to her statement. Confused, amber eyes simply stared at her, waiting for more. Hoping this was a good sign, Kagome told him the rest. Of her deal with Sesshoumaru, and her conditions for their release. Of her suspicion that all was not as it seemed with the taiyoukai. 

Finally, she ran out of things to say. As she trailed off into silence, she glanced timidly at her ex-hanyou protector. For someone so vocal, he had been surprisingly docile throughout her speech. Waving one hand in front of his face, to check he was listening, she cheerfully added as an afterthought, "I think he might actually care about you."

As if her remark was a catalyst, tipping the balance in a simmering dispute, Inuyasha exploded. "You agreed to come here?" he growled in fury. "Are you stupid? Can't you smell a trap when it's in front of your face?" 

"Hey!" she protested, standing up to escape the sheer volume of his voice, "I am well aware he has hidden motives, but I couldn't just leave you here alone." 

Gritting her teeth, she tried to let go of her frustration. Otherwise, this would turn into the usual screaming match of which she and Inuyasha seemed so fond. Honestly, though! It was like he heard only the very beginning of her explanation and fell into a daze after that. Didn't he listen to the conditions of her agreement with Sesshoumaru? Maybe the taiyoukai had doubtful motives, but this didn't mean he was completely dishonorable. 

Inuyasha positively fumed with resentment and hostility, as he imagined the ways he would rip his half-brother into little pieces. Obviously, his trusting, little miko had believed every lie the bastard told her. But he was no fool! He had been right about Sesshoumaru's wish – he had known it would be something sneaky, designed to ruin his life! And this would be the same – he just knew it. First, the taiyoukai had lured Kagome here, and now he was feeding her nonsense about 'training' and weakening her resistance. 

With a shudder, Inuyasha faced the wall, so furious he could barely see straight. When would she wake up? How could Kagome always be so damned innocent and gullible? As his temper worsened, he felt fingers, lightly touching his shoulder in an attempt to calm him. 

Shrugging off her hand, Inuyasha growled again. "No! How can you think the best of him? After all he's done, to hurt us… to make me suffer…"

Silence met his anguished plea, and he turned to see her eyes filling up with water. Night had fallen, and it was hard to see her delicate features in the dark, yet the glimmering of unshed tears was clear even in the shadows of the moonlight. Standing up frantically, Inuyasha realized he had no idea what to say to comfort her. As usual, he didn't even know exactly what had upset her. It always went like this. He would yell. She would yell right back, or become hysterical. But dammit… Sesshoumaru was untrustworthy! 

Her next words surprised him however, with their candor. "Are you suffering then, Inuyasha?" she asked miserably, as two tiny tears trailed down her cheeks. "I… know things haven't turned out just the way we planned… Heaven knows, Shippou's wish threw me for a loop… But I realize now I was wrong to ask you to use your wish to save me. Just like _you_ were wrong to ask Sesshoumaru to use _his_ wish to bail us out. We'll simply have to deal with the changes. At least you got to be a full-youkai, like you wanted from the start."

"Kagome," he corrected her, anxious at the emotion she was displaying, his gut still twisting from the anger he felt. "I was going to wish to be_human_, not youkai. Besides, Shippou's wish didn't screw everything up, _his_ did."

Sniffling a little bit, the miko wiped her eyes with her sleeve, before pulling the proverbial rug out from beneath his feet once more. "I seem to recall Shippou wasn't the only one casting careless wishes that day. Does it matter? I mean, it was flattering that you would wish to be human, to stay with me… But I never asked you to do it. That was Kikyou." With a pointed look, she finished, "I've always liked you the way you are." 

If he had still possessed pointed dog-ears, they would have flattened against his skull with agitation. "You mean the way I _was_," he muttered sourly, unable to meet her gaze. 

"No, I mean the way you _are_ Inuyasha," answered the miko. Stepping forward, she grasped his face between her hands, her claws resting just below his ears. "Did you think I liked you because of the way you looked? Because you were a guy? It's what is on the inside that counts." 

It wasn't the first time she had said this, but for once Inuyasha listened to her words with rapt attention and processed their meaning. The full import of it was a long time coming. Her next words were a ghostly whisper, as he began to feel light-headed. 

"Actually, I kind of like my new… features…" A new blush was tinting her cheeks, her watery eyes sparkling with warmth and love. "I can understand Shippou's reasoning. I often wished all of us could live happily ever after, together forever. It's not such a bad wish." 

Wide eyed, Inuyasha gazed at his second-love's face. Her skin felt like cool, smooth porcelain on his face, and her claws like tiny pin-pricks on his neck. The rage slowly drained out of him, to be replaced by a perplexing fog in his chest. When he did not speak, she shyly moved closer, until he could feel her body-heat warm his skin. "I always felt a little bit jealous, you know," she went on, sniffling away the remaining evidence of her emotional outburst a few moments ago. "Of Kikyou for being first. Of Sango, for being so beautiful… Even of you, for being so strong and fast. But now I can be pretty and strong too! So… um… it's not all bad to be a demon?"

Placing his hands over the backs of her own, he shifted her hands from their perch on either side of his face. Even her hands were different now, pale and shining in the dim light of the moon. As a youkai, she was delicate, more curvaceous than before, and utterly lovely. But then, he had liked her before too. Just as she said, it was inner beauty that impressed people. Did she really mean that she liked him as … a girl?

But that was…

And then, his brain stopped functioning, as Kagome drew him in for a hug. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she sunk her fingers into his hair just behind the ears and sighed happily. It was the first time he could recall her initiating any contact between them. He had hugged her once or twice, and she hadn't seemed to mind – and she had said she loved him, now and then. Except he never really had believed her. Or maybe he had never felt worthy of her, because he had been preoccupied with Kikyou? 

It felt odd, hugging another woman while he was one too. It wasn't a bad sensation. Once or twice, he had even dreamt about Kagome and Kikyou together. If those didn't qualify as freaky dreams, then he didn't know what would, but it was definitely providing food for thought at the moment. 

"Of course, now you're prettier than me," mumbled Kagome sullenly, against his neck. "Not fair." 

Inuyasha had no idea how to reply to that. The very idea was mortifying. He wasn't pretty! And wasn't there something he had been going to ask her? It was hard to think straight with a priestess hanging around his neck, especially since he had been interested in the girl for years. "Miko wished me this way," he gasped, finally grasping his train of thought, "Another one might be able to change me back."

Stopping the massage she had been giving the skin behind his ears, Kagome pulled back, and Inuyasha saw something akin to disappointment in her eyes. "Well," she replied testily, "When I'm as powerful as Midoriko, you'll be the first to know."

_Oh crap! _Inuyasha cursed internally. _She thinks I'm comparing her to Kikyou again, by saying she isn't good enough? _He shook his head, and tugged on her clothing to draw her back into his embrace, as an apology.

"What are you doing?" she inquired, as a beautiful face with square, blue stripes inched toward her own. 

At her question, Inuyasha froze in terror. Ack! He had misinterpreted her actions – she wasn't interested after all. As a burning sense of embarrassment crept over him, he sat down abruptly on the futon, and tried to ignore the fact that he was so acutely, miserably female. Of course, girls didn't want other girls. Not even when one of them used to be a boy. How did he get into these situations?

With a worried expression, Kagome sat down beside him. They had been together for years now, and the hanyou hadn't tried to kiss her more than once. So, she had merely been asking for information – it had been surprising, that was all! Obviously, he had taken her words the wrong way. Heart racing, she decided on a course of action. It was risky, since his self-esteem had been damaged by his transformation, but perhaps she might be able to make him feel better about the entire experience, perhaps she could give him the confidence he was lacking. 

He gasped, when she covered his mouth with hers. The kiss was soft and feathery light. Blinking, amber eyes stared at her in amazement. "Kagome, I…"

"Shh…" she breathed against his lips, and smiled. It was kind of fun to see the same old eyes, staring out of a different face. And darn it, she had been waiting for the hanyou to make a move forever! If they were both girls, then she didn't have to wait for the guy in the relationship to take the first step anymore, right?

So she kissed him again, as he wrapped his arms around her and rolled back, halfway on top of the futon. Her slender form leaned into his waist, as she put one leg on either side of his body, and settled into place. The weight against his hips made him shut his eyes with pleasure. If he had still been a guy, right now she would have been… sitting on…

Crossing her arms over her chest, Kagome reached up to pull off the top of her school uniform, and then she placed his hands on her chest, just below the lacy bra she always wore. It was an open invitation, but Inuyasha lay immobile, unable to think as he tried to figure out how he had come to be lying here, and whether he was blessed or cursed. She leaned forward and touched his chest, removing the bindings from below the loosened gi. 

Once, twice, three times around, and then his breasts were free. The cold night air hit his flesh, and he gasped at the sensation. It was heavenly. Somehow his chest was more sensitive now than before. Earlier, he had been so angry at being tricked that he had ignored his new… assets. Definitely not the first thing Miroku would have done upon becoming a woman. 

With a mischievous look, Kagome stroked the underside of the mounds, and Inuyasha moaned aloud. For the love of all that was holy, she was enjoying his problems, wasn't she? And how did she know exactly where his body would be the most sensitive? Everyone claimed that practice made perfect, but Kagome shouldn't have known about such things. 

Her bra scratched against his skin, as she leaned forward again, scraping against his chest. This time, her kiss was stronger. Moving his lips against hers, he heard her intake of breath, and felt pleased to know he wasn't the only one being affected by their contact. It was high time the lacy bra disappeared. Pulling on the sides of it, he tried to figure out the catch and heard her giggle. "It's in the back – here, I'll do it."

And then, they were free. And they were just as superb as he had always imagined. Small, with pert little nipples, and just large enough to fit in his effeminate hands. Copying her movements from a few minutes ago, he traced his claws around the sides of her, and heard her whine in the back of her throat. It wasn't enough, he had to taste them. 

Doubling over he attacked her chest, marveling at how soft and perfectly round her breasts were. Kagome's hands joined him in his pursuit, and soon they were both eagerly exploring one another. Then taking one of his hands, she placed it against his own flesh. 

He stilled, confused by her motion. Tracing down his side, with her hand atop his, she met his eyes, her gaze dark with passion as she instilled her idea in his mind. The best way for him to acclimate to his new figure was to know it. Then, once he was at home in his own body, he would be able to defeat his brother more easily. It was brilliant! 

Kissing her again, to show his appreciation, he rolled them over on the futon, trapping her beneath his form. And suddenly, he felt lighter, more free. Laughter welled up inside him, and he knew if he had been a man, he would have been out of his mind with need right now. Instead, he was calm, focused, and exactly where he needed to be. 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The mewling sound of a bitch in heat woke Sesshoumaru. Jerking out of a sound sleep, he furrowed his brow in consternation, breathing heavily. In his dreams, he had lain with a woman. The miko, of course. Except her faceless figure had distinctly had silvery white hair. Inuyasha, then. Did it matter? Neither one wanted him. Biting back a moan, the taiyoukai rolled over and tried to return to the world of dreams. Tomorrow, he would…

Another soft cry disturbed his thoughts, and he realized the sounds were not solely the product of his over-active imagination. Sitting up slowly, he listened attentively to the darkness. Surely not. Not in the room _right next door_.

A sweet sounding moan answered his question, and the previously undefeated Lord of the Western lands realized he had been conquered. Outmaneuvered by a sneaky bitch that had once been a human. She had demanded to 'stay by his side' and he could not go back on his word. But he had never expected… this. For her to engage in acts of lascivious, immoral behavior, while he _listened_ to them crying out for release.

When he had made his wish, he had expressly worded it to separate those two! They were both women now, so nothing should transpire between them! Here, his brain helpfully supplied imagery to support his latest theory – two women, one dark, one light, embracing each other as their hair mingled in a pool on the floor. It almost undid him.

Standing up, Sesshoumaru flexed and unflexed his fist, considering the possibilities. He would storm the room and demand that they cease and desist. He would drag them apart if necessary. They would be lying together, in the nude, the miko on the bottom, arching against his half-brother in delight… Or perhaps he could simply crawl into the bed with them, instead? That might work? 

Two steps before the shoji screen door, he stopped. Trying to swallow, he found his throat dry. Who gave them the right to such pleasure when he had none? What dark twist of fate had sent his brother good fortune while he was left out in the cold? All he had to do was reach out and slide back the door. 

But he couldn't move.

He was the one with all the power, the family connections, money, prestige, everything. Yet Inuyasha had always been… happier. More free. Even after he had been sealed to a tree, betrayed by love, he had never hesitated to defend what he cared for, to make new friends, to thrive on adversity, and to rebound from the most horrible of circumstances. It was like his little brother lived under a proverbial cloud with silver-lining. In real life, failure to plan ahead in a battle meant death, but Inuyasha succeeded time and time again, through nothing but perseverance. For years, Sesshoumaru had searched for his Father's legacy, and in one instant, Inuyasha had turned the blade against him, using it to cut off his left arm. It had felt like proof that his Father despised him, that the fang had defended an unknown human, over his Father's own flesh and blood. And later, he had thought to measure up to his Father by defeating Ryukotsusei, only to discover his brother had done so already, in his usual, unprepared, half-assed fashion. It was insulting. Infuriating, even.

They were right there, separated from him by the thickness of a rice paper. But he couldn't do anything about their behavior. If he entered the room, they would be embarrassed and vulnerable, and he would lose any ground he might have made with the miko or his brother. And he couldn't very well leave his room, because that would be like running away, which was something that Sesshoumaru did not do. 

So instead, he sat down in front of the shoji screen. 

Smothering a sigh, he wondered how much more he could stand, before he lost his mind with need and impatience. Sadly, knowing his penchant for self-control, the answer was probably a lot. It would be a long night. 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Not my characters, no matter how strangely I make them behave. 

Author Note: Aww, poor Sesshy! That wasn't how things were supposed to go! Let's see if we can give him some relief. 

Slight Spoiler Warning for Manga chapter 491, but if you don't know who Shishinki is, it doesn't matter. It came out while I was typing and I didn't know how to remove it!

**Brotherly Love 08:**

The sunlight in her eyes finally woke her. Creeping toward consciousness, Kagome looked around in confusion, the memory of last night's events still hazy in her mind, until she saw her white-haired companion slumbering peacefully on the futon. _O my God!_ Kagome thought, flushing bright pink with embarrassment, _I slept with Inuyasha!_

It had been a spur of the moment decision, and she wasn't sure how she felt about the whole thing anymore. She loved Inuyasha, didn't she? Yes, of course. That had been the whole point of the endeavor – to demonstrate her devotion and help Inuyasha feel at home in his new form. And it hadn't been a bad experience… but it hadn't been exactly what she was expecting either. Sitting up, Kagome wrinkled her nose and shifted the covers carefully. Her nose was able to detect far more scents now that she was an inu-youkai, and waking up on a grubby, smelly futon was not one of her favorite things to do. A bath was in order. 

Quietly sliding her uniform on, she tiptoed toward the door, wondering if she had made the right decision. Inuyasha had felt so alone in his new body, betrayed by his brother, and she had been trying to help him accept the changes, but what about long-term effects of her actions? In the morning light, she felt far less sure of herself than the night before. 

As she stood there thinking, the screen door slid back swiftly and silently in front of her, and a striped hand dragged her into the hallway before she could breathe. Eyes wide, Kagome lost her balance and fell against the very hard chest of a very angry taiyoukai. "Sesshoumaru?" she gasped, too startled for words, "What…?"

The elder demon narrowed his eyes, and Kagome felt a stab of fear trickle down her spine like ice water. If she had been groggy seconds before, she was certainly awake and paying attention now. In fact, she hadn't seen him this angry since Naraku tried to kill Rin, or since the time Shishinki told him he was an unwanted, worthless son of the family… But there was no reason for him to be upset at the moment, right? No deaths, no life-threatening situations, no salt being rubbed in old-wounds…

Without an explanation, Sesshoumaru clamped his hand over her mouth and pulled her down the hallway until they were a suitable distance away from the sleeping quarters. Then, releasing her without a warning, he threw her against one wall. Kagome collapsed in a heap, breathing heavily to make up for lost time. 

"So, you think you can best me, miko?" growled the taiyoukai, towering over her. 

"Um…" At a loss, Kagome fumbled for the right answers to this sort of question. What to say? She could correct him and point out that her name was 'Kagome' not 'miko,' but this might have unsavory results. Or she use this opportunity to test out her nifty, new youkai powers… But again, it might be unhealthy to fight Sesshoumaru. Going with outright denial, she met his eyes squarely. "What in the world are you talking about?"

He replied in a low voice, still seething with fury. "Your… actions… last night were hardly in the spirit of our agreement." 

Her response was immediate. Face heating up, and she crossed her arms over her chest defensively, before shrinking back against the wall. Blushing so greatly that even the tips of her ears and her neck went red, the miko mumbled bashfully, "Oh… um… you heard that, did you?" 

At his curt nod, Kagome averted her eyes and tried to think of something, anything to say. How could this have happened? He wasn't supposed to hear them! The only thing worse than this would have been having her mother walk in while… Well, actually perhaps having Sesshoumaru for a witness was worse than her mother. At least her mother harbored some small affection for her, and she wouldn't have stared death in the face the next morning, only mortal shame. 

How could she have forgotten about his sensitive hearing? He was a dog-demon after all; she should have known better. And even if he hadn't heard them, he could have smelled the room this morning and… _Ah! Dying of embarrassment here!_ Kagome thought frantically, looking anywhere but at the taiyoukai. 

Interrupting her thoughts (and directing them back where they rightfully should be), the taiyoukai knelt down and placed a claw under her chin. Kagome flinched and stammered out a weak apology. "Er… I'm sorry for… I didn't think you could…"

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru grew ever more puzzled as he watched his captive miko squirm, attempting to avoid his attention. Was it supposed to pacify him, to know that she hadn't even considered the possibility of being overheard? That was the entire problem – he had been overlooked, passed over, and totally disrespected in his own household. And at least until a few moments ago, he had been legitimately angry with her, for taunting and deceiving him in such a fashion. Yet it seemed she really had no clue how their behavior had affected him. His anger gradually drained away, to be replaced by frustration once more. 

Perhaps it was his disposition that kept people away from him. His mother had always been a cold, calculating sort too, and look where it had gotten her with Father. Perhaps he simply had to spell things out more clearly for the miko and his brother. But then, she had agreed to come here, after he had stated an interest in her… what more could be said? Still, he had always been bad with words. Maybe she didn't understand. If there was one thing he would not have minded inheriting from his father, it would have been his way with women. 

For several long moments, they both held perfectly still, regarding one another with intensity. With Sesshoumaru this close to her, Kagome discovered his eyes weren't nearly as cold or commanding as she remembered. They were like liquid gold, brilliantly reflective, and she realized with some surprise that she quite liked them. Most of the time, she saw him from afar, and when he was nearby, she stood at eye-level with his armor, never giving him a fair perusal. The armor made him seem imposing – all spiky angles and lethal grace. But here, dressed in only a kimono, he looked smaller and softer. 

Blushing again (or had it been continual since his earlier comment?), Kagome turned her head, removing it from his grasp, and reprimanded herself for ogling Inuyasha's elder brother in such a fashion. For a girl with little or no experience with sex, she managed to get caught in the weirdest situations… What was this, a love-triangle? If they called in Miroku and Kouga would an all-out battle for booty ensue? Of course it was impossible to believe the white haired demon could _like_ her in that way. Over the years, he had never shown a hint of interest in anything human; she had always been far below his radar. She was used to being unnoticed by him, and it was creepy to imagine anything might have changed between them. 

"I was… going to take a bath, but I um… don't know where to go?" she mumbled, desperate to change the subject. Anything was better than discussing the compromising behavior she and Inuyasha had engaged in last night. It was highly embarrassing. 

The taiyoukai snuffled slightly, silently agreeing with her resolve. That should definitely be the next plan of action – removing all traces of Inuyasha's scent from her nice, fresh smelling skin. Although the intermingling scents were enticing in some ways… but no. First things first. And afterward, he would find a replacement for the green and white kimono she wore, clothing her in something more decent. Although, again, the outfit she currently wore was rather inviting… 

Firmly clamping down on his wayward thoughts, the taiyoukai gathered her into his arms. "This isn't necessary," she protested, with wide eyes. "I can walk." 

Sesshoumaru merely ignored her and strolled leisurely toward the bathhouses. He was very good at ignoring people when he chose not to hear them. The dark green cloth of her skirt contrasted with her pale thighs as she wriggled, trying to draw away from his chest. Finally, she poked him with her forefinger, succeeding in drawing his attention away from her legs. "Really, just point me in the right direction, I can find the room." 

He arched one brow and looked at her askance. She blushed and continued, "Because… it wasn't an open-ended invitation." 

Instead of releasing her, he drew her closer. It disturbed her that he could hold her up with only one arm, and it distracted her how clearly she could feel his silk sleeve against the backs of her bare thighs. Of all the bull-headed, stubborn, annoying people in the world, Inuyasha and his family members were the worst! How dare he try to imply she was inviting him to bathe with her? And it was really aggravating the way he made her feel frightened, embarrassed, angry and sexy all in the space of only ten minutes. It was completely unfair for him to have so much power over her. 

He studied her face, as she moved through a wide range of emotions. Obviously the adage "ignore something long enough and it goes away," didn't apply here. Ignoring her discontent wasn't making her feel any more at ease. Strange – it always worked with Rin. The little girl assumed if he was not bothered by something, then it wasn't worth noticing. 

Renewing her resistance, Kagome struggled ineffectually against his embrace, until at last he set her down at the edge of the bathhouses. Glaring at him again, she quickly moved away a few steps. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, elaborating nervously before he had the chance to reply. "You and Inuyasha had just started to get along, you defeated Naraku together, and now…. I don't understand why you did this to him. Midoriko may have granted your wish, but why would you ask for such a thing?" 

The question was unexpected. She was still more concerned for others than herself, an unusual personality trait, and one that bothered the usually unflappable taiyoukai more than he was willing to admit. How was he to ascertain her interest or intent when she refused to consider herself as an integral part of their group? 

Maybe that was part of the problem. The miko had been fully human until a week ago, and as such she would not know about youkai customs or habits. Magnanimously, he decided to explain. 

Gracefully sliding open one of the screen doors to the bathhouse terrace, Sesshoumaru motioned for the miko to follow. She hesitated, of course, but he purposefully ignored her discomfort and settled himself on stones outdoors, as though he had not a care in the world. Inside, he planned his phrasing carefully. He knew why he had wished for Inuyasha to become a female demon, but the key was expressing this in such a way that his miko did not take offence. From what he knew of her, she did this very easily. 

Kagome gradually made her way outside, watching the taiyoukai for any sign of movement. There was no way she was taking a bath in front of him! And she really had _wanted_ a bath, too. Maybe there was some inconspicuous area, farther away from here? Glancing around the enclosure, she saw to her delight that the bathhouse was really a courtyard. She had envisioned a tiny room with a cramped tub, much like in the future, but this was magnificent! Before her, the building turned at a right angle, and two sides of it surrounded a natural hot spring. Prudently planted shrubbery concealed bathers from the outside world, while allowing the hot spring to flow into the area and outward again on the other side of the hill. A small overhang of the ceiling kept the elements at bay, allowing people to relax in peace, out of the sun or the rain, whatever the weather might be that day. It was really quite nice. The only problem was the smell. Wrinkling her nose in distaste, she tried to block out the strong scent of minerals in the natural hot water. Amazing, what her human nose had failed to detect for so many years. Ah well. At least the waters weren't sulfurous. 

Resting on a small boulder by the water's edge, she wondered if or when Sesshoumaru was going to answer her question. But at last he spoke, quietly and thoughtfully, and Kagome listened, captivated by the sound of his voice. His tone was so rich that it mellowed her out just to hear him speak. She slipped her feet in the water, and paid attention. 

"Years ago," he began, "When the Inu no Taisho so carelessly took a human mate, the dog-demon clan was sundered. Many sought to follow my Father, some from loyalty, others for his strength. But many were appalled by his actions and chose to break with the clan, making their own way in the world… 

"Divided, our people grew weak, and our numbers dwindled," continued the taiyoukai, observing his guest to watch her reaction. He had used the word 'our' people, to imply that she was a part of the group now too, yet she seemed oblivious to this detail and stared at him with wide eyes instead, hoping for him to continue. Obviously, she had never considered the effect his Father had on other people, only how the old demon had affected her own particular, close-knit group. "When I stated that there were no available female inuyoukai left in Japan, this was no lie. But even more importantly, by taking the action I did, Inuyasha is no longer my half-brother. This way, Inuyasha will be able to rejoin our clan, and any mistakes my Father might have made will now be erased." 

As painful as it was to admit that his Father might have been, occasionally, in the wrong, he knew it was true. And apparently, so did the miko. With her sharp intake of breath, he could see the pieces clicking together in her mind. "So..." she murmured, "There can only be one alpha male in each… family?" 

Her terminology was strange, but Sesshoumaru was pleased to see she had grasped the basic concept. "Each pack has only one male leader," he agreed. "Other males must be subordinate or leave the group."

Kagome giggled slightly at this, unable to envision a subordinate Inuyasha. His attitude embodied anything but polite, deferential behavior. Overall, the wish had a rather of twisted sense of logic to it. Legend said nothing good could come of wishing on the Shikon no Tama, unless the heart's desire was pure. And so far, their results had been a spectacular failure. But if this wish really meant Sesshoumaru was making the first overture to accepting Inuyasha back into the family… well, that was really good news! Maybe it was a pure wish after all! She couldn't wait to explain it to her friends. 

"But of course," the white demon intoned insidiously, "There is no limit to how many ladies a pack leader may acquire." 

"Ah?" 

There was that look again – the way Kouga looked at her, only a million times worse. As if he could eat her with his eyes alone. She could feel her face heating up, even as she pretended not to notice what he had implied. "But… I thought there could only be one alpha male and one alpha female in most wolf packs?"

"Are you comparing me to a filthy ookami?" he growled. "This Sesshoumaru is a dog-demon." 

"No!" Kagome backpedaled, "What I meant was, I agreed to help you train Inuyasha… so if it's Inuyasha you want then…" Trailing off, she realized with horror that her babbling had only made the situation worse. She had just implied she would _assist_him in seducing his own family. Eww! She was supposed to be HELPING her best friend, not offering him up as a sacrifice to an evil elder brother! 

Although Sesshoumaru didn't seem so evil at the moment, and his figure did seem rather impressive… And his hair was so handsome. It wasn't fair that someone could have such long, silky hair and still represent the epitome of masculinity. 

_Wait! What am I thinking? _Shaking her head, Kagome turned away from her companion and pulled her feet out of the hot spring, preparing to rise. The moment she lifted one foot though, a hand closed around her wrist, catching her off balance, and for the second time of the day, she found herself tumbling into the taiyoukai's embrace. Only this time, a huge splash accompanied her, as she had fallen right into the spring. 

She whirled to face him, determined to give him a piece of her mind for getting her clothing wet (she only had one outfit after all!), but when she saw his expression she couldn't find the words. Sesshoumaru, the ever-icy and controlled picture of ruthless perfection, was smiling. It wasn't a big grin, yet it was there, a small upturn of his lips. He was teasing her. 

_Well, two can play at that game_, Kagome thought, determined to bring out the happier side of Sesshoumaru, now that she had seen it. Nobody deserved to be grim and serious all day long. Her goal for the moment – getting an honest to goodness smile onto that poker face of his. With a cheeky grin, she splashed him with water from the spring. 

Instantly she found herself almost submerged in the water, her back against a rock. He restrained her hands, and leaned forward, nearly touching her nose with his. "Then," he uttered huskily, "You will assist Inuyasha in reaching the proper decision?" 

In such close proximity to the taiyoukai, her mind seemed to shut down entirely, so it took her a moment to comprehend what he said. When she did, she numbly shook her head in the negative. "He doesn't want you." 

This wiped the smirk clean from his face. Releasing her hands, he reached out and twirled his fingers through her hair, watching absently as it swirled in the water. "Even so, there is no other way to align him with the inuyoukai clan."

Pondering the intricacies of fate, Kagome prayed she could accomplish something to help both her friends and the man before her. Strangely enough, she wanted to help him. After he had explained a little about dog-demon behavior, she had been forced to re-evaluate his stance. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. And she had always hoped the two brothers would learn to get along, becoming one family again… Instead of bemoaning his misfortune and the fact he was related to Sesshoumaru, wouldn't it be better for Inuyasha to reconcile with his family? Maybe the gods had provided him the way to do just that. But still, she wouldn't allow a relationship between these two, if Inuyasha didn't want it. This sort of thing had to start off slowly. 

"What exactly is it that you need from him?" she asked, blushing furiously because she already suspected the answer. 

The taiyoukai viewed her impassively, then dropped the biggest bombshell yet. "An heir."

"What?!" she shrieked, thoroughly scandalized. "You need… a… an…"

"This Sesshoumaru does not repeat himself," growled the white demon, annoyed at the loud scream that his miko had produced, in such close quarters. His ears rang from the force of it. 

Seeing his expression change, Kagome immediately sobered. This changed everything! Inuyasha would never agree to have _babies_ with his brother. Not that her previous idea had been very feasible either, but still… She switched gears. "Do you need an heir in general, or specifically from Inuyasha?"

Her eyes were huge in her face, displaying a mix of apprehension and guilt, and he wondered not for the first time how she could be so open. And then, the perfect plan fell into place. Surely, it could not be so simple. He had spent years trying to best his brother, somehow always failing to get his way, and now he would have it all. 

"Only one is necessary. This Sesshoumaru chose Inuyasha for the aforementioned reasons, but perhaps you have a different idea?"

Kagome gulped heavily, knowing he had seen right through her. Even worse, that subtle smile was back. He tilted his head, as his lips descended to meet hers, and she stiffened, trying to remember what she had learned about this sort of thing from living in the modern world. Unfortunately, she had never gotten much experience with boys. Hojo was too polite, she was too shy, Inuyasha too reticent and Kouga too dense. She realized with alarm that this was technically her first kiss with a boy… unless one counted Inuyasha in his female form last night… which was sort of still a confusing topic to her… 

She shook her head slightly and forced her mind to clear. It would do no good to think about Inuyasha while she was here with Sesshoumaru. They were different people and had to be treated as such. Closing her eyes, she shivered at the light touch of his lips on hers, feeling his breath ghost over her cheek, before he pulled away. 

It had been such a sweet gesture that Kagome blinked in confusion. There now! That hadn't been bad at all. Just like kissing Inuyasha. How odd that her friends in the future made a huge deal out of… 

Sesshoumaru sealed their lips together again with more force this time, pleased to have the miko's full attention at last. She squeaked in surprise and shrank back, although the stones behind her allowed no room to move. A tingling sensation rippled down her spine, sending shivers to her toes, as her partner quickly grew bolder. Scraping his claws through her hair, he pulled her forward to meet him, as the tip of his tongue slipped smoothly along the corner of her mouth, asking for entrance. 

Perhaps she had formed an opinion too soon – kissing Sesshoumaru was nothing like kissing Inuyasha at all. Just as their personalities were completely opposite, so was their handling of women. Inuyasha had prefaced each move, each touch with a silent plea for permission, politely showing his concern for her. His elder brother showed no such qualms, however, and he seemed to know exactly what he wanted. With Inuyasha, she had been constantly worried about his feelings, how he was taking the situation, but with Sesshoumaru she thought she could afford to be a little selfish. 

Relaxing into his hold, she felt his claws scratch her skin through the fabric of her uniform, as he slid his hand down her side, grasping her hip and drawing her forward to meet him. Kagome whimpered as she came into contact with his body, feeling her skin light on fire. They were both warm from standing in the hot springs, and his flesh felt scalding to the touch as she placed her hands tentatively on his chest. His skin was firm and soft, and she pouted at the injustice of it. She was a demoness now too, but she hadn't become automatically beautiful or fabulously toned like all other youkai she knew. It wasn't fair!

Already, her water-logged clothing felt heavy and her knees felt weak from an onslaught of sensation, but when he growled, feeling of her hands on his chest, she thought it might be the end of her. Blushing brightly, she dropped her head, embarrassed again. Was that a happy growl, or one showing vexation? It had sounded rather seductive. 

He could feel her shudder against him and renewed his efforts to please his little miko. Truly, she was enchanting. The more heated her thoughts, the more her spiritual aura and her newly granted demonic energy rose, battling in the air around them as swirls of color before harmonizing again in her. As her fingers slid along the silk of his collar, Sesshoumaru bit back a groan. His grip tightened momentarily, as he imagined the pleasure to come, and the feel of her heat as he lay ensconced inside her, moving roughly against her… There was no question that she had understood and acquiesced to his demands, this time. After all, she was right here, in his embrace. Memorizing the way she felt in his hold, he dipped his head to explore her anew. 

Her fangs were dainty but not delicate, as his tongue tripped over them roughly, pricking his flesh on their points. He didn't mind though. The sharp taste of his blood aroused her – moaning, she entwined her arms around his neck, threading her fingers into his hair, as he probed her mouth more deeply, demanding all her attention. 

Kagome's concentration was rapidly scattering to the winds. She could no longer think analytically about how this experience differed from the one last night. Instead, she could hardly think at all. Melting into his kiss, she trembled as his lower body pressed into her, feeling the corrugated muscles of his abdomen against hers. Where Inuyasha had been far more interested in her chest, Sesshoumaru seemed fascinated by her waist, tracing lines of fire over her lower back and stomach with his claws. His tongue filled her mouth, the kiss suddenly demonstrative and aggressive as he brushed aside her skirt. The green cloth was so short, it was hardly a barrier at all; he merely had to trail one hand up the side of her leg, and then the insignificant thing was a problem no more. 

She whimpered again at the sensation of his hand touching the back of her thigh, lifting her left leg over his hips, encouraging her to wrap it around him. The world felt off balance, and her head seemed to be stuffed with cotton, completely useless as he tucked one hand below her and lifted her out of the water, placing her on the side of the springs. Only the relative cold of the stones underneath her woke Kagome from her stupor. They were… He was seriously going to… he wanted to impregnate her, right here and now?! 

With a frown, Kagome pushed on Sesshoumaru's shoulders, forcing him back into the spring. "Um… wait… you see… I think maybe you didn't understand," she gasped, trying to bring the necessary oxygen back to her brain. 

His expression darkened slightly, and he reminded her of their agreement, unwilling to allow her to slither out of this one. The demoness was tricky; he knew this from experience. "You agreed to bear my son," he stated slowly, " And to assist Inuyasha in coming to terms with his place in the pack. Will you go back on your word now?"

"Hey! I didn't actually agree!" protested Kagome angrily, crossing her arms over her chest. Unfortunately for her, it was nearly impossible to look threatening, while soaking wet, with her legs on either side of his figure. 

Considering her statement carefully, the taiyoukai wrinkled his brow. Usually, when one held a woman wearing a short kimono (which did fabulous things for her legs), and said woman responded eagerly to any proffered advances, this meant only one thing. Complete and utter acceptance. But technically speaking, she was correct. She had not agreed to this deal verbally. But why did that matter, when she was so obviously enjoying herself, and he was clearly interested, and… 

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and growled in frustration. Placing his hand against the small of her back, he dragged her hips against him with such force that she squeaked in alarm and placed her hands on his shoulders to keep from falling in the spring. Her blue eyes were wide with surprise, and she bit her lower lip as she looked down at him, worried for a moment that he was going to ignore her wishes and go ahead with his plans. 

But seeing her fearful expression, he released her gradually, allowing her to sink into the spring beside him. Blushing as she slid down his body, she tried to stay as far away from him as possible within such close quarters. "Er… it's just that… It's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that I've never done this before, so I might need some time to think about this, and all…" she stuttered nervously. Falling back into her natural habit of wanting everyone to be happy, and to avoid upsetting those around her, she smiled at him shyly. He stilled at her admission and turned his head to one side, watching her curiously. 

"Besides, those rocks look really uncomfortable," she continued lamely. "And hard."

Hiding a small smile in her hair, he decided her request was reasonable. At least she trusted him enough to spend time with him – and the miko had not denied him outright. If time to think was all she needed, then she would have it. Of course, he might attempt to influence her decision in the meantime. And there could be no more unruly, disobedient behavior like last night. 

"Certainly," he agreed mildly, "a futon would be more accommodating."

"Um… that's sort of…"

"Before you retire tonight, miko, report to me and we shall discuss your decision."

"Um… decision? I might need more than one day, you know," Kagome responded. 

"You may have as much time as you need," he replied, "I merely wish to be informed of your progress." 

_My progress?_ she wondered. It sounded a little bit fishy, but it was better than nothing, she supposed. And she probably would need a respite from Inuyasha's angry yelling once she told him about this morning's events… So, nodding, Kagome signaled her assent and breathed a sigh of relief as he left her alone, allowing her the privacy to finish her bath in peace. 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Ah, the imaginary indoor hot springs in Sesshoumaru's imaginary castle. How many times have you read about this scene in Inuyasha fanfiction?

1. Never! You're so original, aimdiscord!

2. Five or six times. Yawn. Where's the next story? 

3. This makes 100 . Please stop or we will throw rotten tomatoes at your fanfiction. 

4. As of February 2007, over 69,000 Inuyasha fanfics exist on this site. You do know the odds are against an original idea, right? Boo! 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi would be dismayed to read all the situations I put HER characters into. 

Author Note: I apologize for any OOC behavior in this chapter. (But is it really possible to get these characters together without straying from the real storyline?) Next, I tried to fit in the lemony stuff in this chapter, but I just ran out of room. It wasn't really central to the story anyway, right? Gotta keep this rated for teens. It's on this site after all, not adultfanfiction… 

**Brotherly Love 09:**

Her inherent, incessant worrying ways kept her from breaking the news to Inuyasha. She wanted to tell him. She really, really did. Kagome had never felt quite so nervous and flustered and embarrassed in her life. But every time she turned to her ex-hanyou protector and long time friend, she choked on the words. Inuyasha must have asked her forty times if she was feeling all right that morning, or if she needed to rest inside, out of the bright sun in the courtyard. 

But really, how would she start such a conversation? 

_So Inuyasha_, she thought humorlessly. _You remember how you thought your half-brother hated you and all? He doesn't really; he was merely unable to bring you back into the family because of some ridiculous dog-demon pack rule. But now he wants to have babies with you! Congrats! …What's that? 'No f way?!' In that case, he wants to have babies with me! Even better, right? At least it's not just about sex. _

With a snort, Kagome turned away and glared angrily at the wooden floor planks of the porch ringing the courtyard. Contrary to her current mood, Inuyasha had been feeling fabulous all day, because the barrier around their quarters had been expanded to include a new set of rooms and a portion of the nearby grounds. A good behavior reward, she supposed, although whether it was for her own behavior in the hot spring, or in return for Inuyasha's excellent sword fighting earlier that day, she was not certain. 

She had wanted to reassure Inuyasha that she loved him, no matter what form he took, and she had ended up sleeping with him. Then, she had tried to encourage Sesshoumaru to reconcile with his brother, and she ended up making out with the white haired demon. Yet neither one of the brothers seemed any closer to forming an understanding than before! Between the two of them, she feared her brain cells would be permanently warped and fried. And now, Sesshoumaru wanted to talk to her again that evening, in private. The nervous, flustered feeling in her stomach would not abate. 

How could she broach the subject with Inuyasha? Why was it so difficult to respect both her best friend and the demon lord, at the same time? She hated the idea of anyone's wishes taking precedence over anyone else's. Ever since the whole Inuyasha and Kikyou debacle, Kagome despised playing favorites and refused to do so with the inu-brothers. 

Yet how could she encourage Inuyasha to become more amenable to being a female? She had tried once already, and it had accomplished nothing but making him even more impossibly pig-headed the next morning. It was amazing, yes, but even in a womanly form, it was possible for someone to have 'male' pride. Inuyasha was oozing it from his pores today. It was why he had done so well in the sparring match earlier, against Sesshoumaru. Apparently, for years all he had needed was to get laid, and he could have defeated Naraku single-handedly. Who knew? 

"Hey Kagome!" the youthful, energetic demon called out from across the courtyard. "Watch this!" She sighed, pretending to pay attention to his antics, while secretly wondering if he knew how much like Shippo he seemed just then… 

Obviously, while it improved Inuyasha's mood tremendously, sleeping with him did not actually change his attitude toward being a woman. It simply made him sure that he was right, that everyone else was wrong, and it gave him lots and lots of energy. Which brought her back to her earlier problem, how to discuss this impossible situation with her best friend, without dampening his mood or crushing his feelings. 

Maybe… she could get Sesshoumaru to talk to him. Er… without approaching the subject directly, of course. Otherwise, the conversation would be very violent and short. Sesshoumaru would demand an heir, and Inuyasha would proceed to bash his brother's face in, while his brother attempted to beat him into submission. Really though, there was one thing the elder demon _could _do. 

In her opinion, Sesshoumaru had started the inu-brother's rivalry. For the most part, the Lord of the West had attacked his little brother without provocation, and even tried to steal his sword. And even after the debate over Tessaiga ended, Sesshoumaru had always refused to accept Inuyasha's help. Even when the white demon had seemed to _need_ it, like when he fought Shishinki, he had been far too proud to accept assistance. 

So, perhaps if Sesshoumaru would repeat what he said that morning in the bathhouse, in a more roundabout fashion, then Inuyasha might see that he was being given a unique opportunity. For once, his brother both needed and wanted his help. It didn't matter what form Inuyasha was in, his brother had wanted to accept him back into the clan all along. He had merely been unable, because the pack had been divided when their father ran off with Inuyasha's mother. But now, they could all be one happy family again…

Stewing over this sticky little dilemma, Kagome failed to notice as Inuyasha landed in front of her, bending over to peer into her eyes. "You're not even paying attention," he said brightly, "What's wrong? You miss Shippo? He's fine with Sango and Miroku for now, but we'll be out of here before too long, don't you worry."

The miko rolled her eyes and pointed at her friend to distract him. "Your outfit is hanging open again," she noted astutely. "Tuck the top into the hakama more tightly." 

"Keh," Inuyasha scoffed. But happily, he proceeded to fix his clothing before sitting down beside her. 

"You seem energetic this morning," she remarked, after a few moments.

A rare smile raced across Inuyasha's face. Crossing his arms beneath his bosom, and proudly puffing out his chest, he said, "Well, yea. You saw the bastard's face this morning, didn't ya? Looked like he had swallowed a fish whole. I guess even he can be impressed by master swordsmanship in action!"

"So, you're saying he was pleased with you," Kagome began slowly. 

This time, a smug bark of laughter escaped the inu-youkai, as he replied. "Totally against his will, of course."

Holding back her mirth, she nodded. "And that… makes you happy?"

He looked at her and blinked, startled, yet willing to concede the point in silence. She noticed his eyes looked larger now, framed by smaller, more delicate bones. _Hmm_, she thought, _And here I thought his good mood was because of me._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"So you _did_ think he fought well today?" Kagome murmured, rephrasing her question for the umpteenth time, trying to pin down the demon lord with a single answer. Naturally, it was futile. He was being evasive tonight, and the answer to her query kept slipping by her, like a fish flashing by in the river. Although he hadn't denied her question outright, which probably meant 'yes, I am mucho proud of my wee lil' bro', she really wanted to hear him say it once, in so many words. 

"He is hardly the 'master' swordsman he claims to be," replied the taiyoukai, barely phased by her efforts. "There is always room for improvement." 

_Argh! Another evasive answer!_ Kagome bemoaned her fate. Verbal plays had never been her forte. "So," she persisted, doggedly determined to get an answer. "Did you tell him that?"

Seeming slightly shocked, as though he had never considered this option, he sniffed, "One does not improve by being coddled."

The reply sounded slightly huffy to her ears. Usually though, Sesshoumaru was so bland that it was difficult to detect subtle changes in his tone. Perhaps she was simply getting better at reading him. As tempting as it was to vent her frustration on him, she forced herself to remain calm and focused on the task at hand – talking Sesshoumaru down off his very high horse. 

She smiled and gestured with one hand, "Neither does one improve at mind reading, by virtue of being uninformed." 

At last, this got his attention. The demon lord considered her words for a time, then nodded once. She hoped it signaled agreement, not that he had heard her words and would proceed to ignore them. Pausing to deliver a final admonition to the demon lord, she grinned and said cheekily, "Well, you know… humans like to talk a great deal! And Inuyasha was raised in that kind of environment, so talking to him might be really effective."

"Hn." The taiyoukai was completely unimpressed by her observation. Talking to his half-brother had never been effective in the past. Although he was willing to admit that _certain_ humans did, in fact, talk a great deal… The one-time human sitting in front of him was a perfect example. 

The tea he had ordered had been sitting out for quite some time now, waiting for the lady to pour it. So far though, the priestess had made no move to do this, and the taiyoukai wondered briefly if she had somehow missed seeing the brown pot and the two ceramic, cylindrical cups next to it. Perhaps she was waiting for it to cool? 

Eyeing the earthenware vessel one last time, he finally relented and served the tea himself. She smiled and accepted a cup, with a short note of thanks, and he raised one brow at her strange manners. Wrapped up in her own concerns, Kagome never noticed she had just failed a fundamental test in feudal manners. 

"Have you thought more about the proposal?" he intoned, graciously ignoring her faux pas, in favor of more important topics. 

A blush quickly stained her cheeks. "Yes?" she answered meekly, unsure how best to approach the subject. Was it better to be direct or indirect? Strangely enough, she had not changed her mind about helping the dog-demon. Still, she had resolved to deal with the situation later. ('Later' was always a good time to handle tricky subjects!) Plus, she still had not talked to Inuyasha about it; she needed to deal with that relationship first. "Inuyasha hasn't adjusted to everything yet. I promise to discuss this with him once he settles down."

Again, the taiyoukai could not think of an adequate response. Nothing but time really accustomed one to change. And he did not look forward to putting his own life on hold until his half-brother finally accepted the situation. That could take years! It was much easier to remain patient when temptation was far away and inaccessible. At the moment, he had good reason not to wait – if he allowed the miko to return to his half-brother's room tonight, he risked a repetition of last night's events, and Sesshoumaru did not particularly want to live through that again. It mattered not whether anything came of it – one way or another, he simply had to keep the priestess in his room tonight. 

They sat in silence and sipped their tea, until the sun was gone from the sky, and the insects chirped and sang in the darkness. Sesshoumaru stayed still, head bent in contemplation. After a while, he took a deep breath, as if he were preparing for a long speech, but before he could begin, his breath escaped in a shaky rush. "I would never ask something of you, if you were not capable of it," he murmured. 

It was startling to hear the demon-lord speak informally, but even more so to realize he was giving her a chance to back out on her 'bargain' from that morning. It was positively decent of him. She had fully expected him to be sneaky about the ordeal, and make ridiculous demands of her, ones she was not ready to answer yet. Really! She was still a teenager! In her era, she would have thought about getting married and having children much later in life. Her relief was palpable, and she felt all her nervousness that had built up over the course of the day draining away at his words. 

Yet it would never do to leave him hanging in suspense. Things were very different for women in the warring-states era, and she knew her reticence would be misunderstood as rejection. Also, she wanted to reward him for his good behavior tonight. The taiyoukai had been nothing but polite all evening, and she had actually enjoyed talking to him a great deal. So, Kagome gathered her courage and then… said the stupidest thing possible, in her usual lackadaisical fashion. 

"I _do _want to have your baby," she announced, then blushed as she realized the words coming out of her mouth. Somehow, she always failed to think her sentences through before she began them. "Er… just later. Yes. Later." 

Uncertainty washed over her as she glanced at the white dog-demon. Suddenly he seemed so large, dominating the room with his presence. Or was that merely because she felt like shrinking with embarrassment? Once again however, he proved he was capable of being a gentleman, by ignoring her easily misconstrued statement and taking her words at face value. 

Touching her arm, he helped her up from the floor. "This Sesshoumaru will have the servants prepare you a separate room then."

She frowned and wondered if he had misunderstood after all. "You promised that I could stay by Inuyasha's side," she reminded him. 

The taiyoukai merely shook his head. "It is unacceptable for the two of you to room together, but you may have this chamber if you are so determined to remain next door."

"I can't take your room!" Kagome protested, guilt flaring up at the idea of constructively evicting the taiyoukai from his bedroom. Just because she had behaved badly with Inuyasha last night didn't mean she planned to do so again – not once she knew the demon-lord was able to hear their every move from the next room. Their revealing conversation this morning had been way too mortifying to repeat. "Where will you sleep?" 

As she looked up at him, she leaned forward, her hands dragging his arm down as though she was straining to reach him. Her beautiful eyes bared her emotions, surprising him with the intensity of her gaze, and her lips formed an adorable pout, practically presenting themselves to be kissed, although he knew the miko probably did not expect such a result. Still, it was very tempting to meet her halfway and take what she offered. Gods, what was this woman doing to him? He knew Inuyasha had to be convinced first. The priestess would fall into place afterwards. But every time he was around her, his body encouraged him to seduce her, to mix up the order of things, and probably lose them both in the process. 

"There is no need to concern yourself with my affairs, miko," he stated quietly, raising his head to glance at the paneled doors nearby, contemplating how much of their conversation his half-brother had been able to overhear. Hopefully not all of it. 

She tugged on his sleeve, to draw his attention again, but she did not seem to have anything more to say. Opening and closing her mouth once, she furrowed her brow in frustration. Was it truly such a terrible idea to make use of his room? Or was it that she didn't want to be alone? 

It was the last thought that ruined his resolve. He had done fine until his mind latched upon the idea that she actually wanted his company. Even though he knew it was not true, a small portion of his mind pointed out that she still had not released his sleeve, and her face looked anguished at the idea that he might leave his own room. There were other chambers in the castle, it wasn't a problem to find somewhere else to sleep, so why else would she seem so upset by his departure? 

Thus, he managed to talk himself into giving her a chaste, good-night kiss. Just enough to reassure her that there were no hard feelings, she could have his chambers and stay by Inuyasha's side, as long as she did not duplicate last night's episode. Bending down, he pressed his lips lightly against hers. She snuggled more closely against his chest, and tucked her hands behind his back, chipping away at his control. 

When he drew back, Kagome felt light-headed and whined softly in the back of her throat, a small protest, though she didn't know why she would make such a sound. Residual effects from the hot springs that morning, perhaps? Surely she wasn't interested in Inuyasha's big brother! But as he kept his hand on her arm for a moment to steady her, she realized she did like certain things about him. The past few days had taught her he wasn't all bad. And he had definitely mellowed out over the years, spending time with Rin, and helping their group occasionally in their quest. And he was handsome… and … He still hadn't let go of her arm, holding her to his side, distracting her from her purpose. What had she been planning to do again? 

Standing on her tiptoes, she sought his mouth again, and this time he did not hold back. His lips fiercely mastered her own, and his tongue slid along her bottom lip, while his arm crushed her against him, lifting her off her feet. This time, when Sesshoumaru withdrew from the kiss, even he seemed confused, his wits befuddled by her touch. 

"Inuyasha…" Kagome breathed desperately, forgetting whom she was with for a moment. 

Mistaking this for concern, Sesshoumaru nibbled the side of her lip and said, "We shall have to be silent then, won't we?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

But of course, Inuyasha had heard every word. 

When Kagome had confessed that she was going to visit his damn brother that evening, he had become immediately suspicious, and positioned himself right by the sliding doors, as close to the edge of the room as the barrier let him sit. Then, he had listened with surprise to their conversation about him, and he had burned with curiosity when Sesshoumaru mentioned a 'proposal' he had made with Kagome. The deal obviously concerned him, or Kagome would not have replied that she needed to discuss it with him first… Afterward, he had waited patiently for Kagome to return after finishing her drink, but as the minutes slipped by he had become more and more anxious. And finally, his brain had ceased to function when she had declared she did, in fact, want to have a baby. Sesshoumaru's baby! Right then, he had understood exactly what his brother had suggested to her, but due to his shock, he had remained silent a few moments longer, his eyes wide in the darkness, staring at unseen figures through screened panels. 

Even if his bastard of a brother was underhanded and devious, Kagome was forthright, straightforward and loyal – she wouldn't fall for…

But then this was Kagome, ever-gullible and large-hearted, willing to believe the best about everyone…

When he heard nothing else, only subdued voices and whispers, Inuyasha lost his temper completely. "Sesshoumaru!" he screamed, enraged. "Get your damn hands off her!"

Sliding Kagome down the front of his body and depositing her on the floor, he glared at the shoji screen panel. Part of him welcomed the diversion however; he had forgotten where he was for a few minutes. The miko collapsed onto the tatami mats, looking for the entire world like a gaping fish and a tomato at once. "Stay there," he commanded her, glaring until she dropped her eyes and started fiddling with her hair. 

If the boy wanted to have their confrontation tonight, he was not opposed to it. Yanking back the screen door and dissolving the barrier between the rooms, he allowed Inuyasha to enter. The younger demon growled and leapt to Kagome's side, intent upon seeing to her safety. "Are you all right?" he asked her frantically, "Did that bastard hurt you?" 

Her blush darkened, and she mumbled something incoherent, which neither sibling listened to in any case, as Inuyasha had already whirled about to face Sesshoumaru again. 

"What the priestess chooses to do is her business, not yours," intoned the demon-lord, in a placid voice, yet with infuriating undertones. Inuyasha thought so, at least. 

"You know what?" he yelled in return, "I don't need Tessaiga to defeat you, I'm gonna rip you apart right here!"

Lunging toward his brother, Inuyasha found himself closing in on empty space as Sesshoumaru dodged. His fist crushed the floor instead, crumpling the wood beneath his hand like paper. The taiyoukai gathered his youki, preparing for an energy attack. 

Kagome groaned, putting her head in her hands and feeling the warmth of her cheeks. Somehow, within the space of only a day, she had taken a bad situation and made it even worse. How did she always manage to make such a mess of things? Her traveling companions always needed to rescue her from dangerous situations too, ones which she carelessly jumped into, heedless of her own safety. She had wanted to make things better between the brothers – instead, the current state of affairs had regressed by several weeks. Any progress the inu-brothers had made toward accepting each other had been undone, and it was all her fault!

"Inuyasha, wait!" she cried out, one hand still hovering near her chin, as if to ward off danger. "He said he wants to accept you back into the family, and that was why he made the wish with Midoriko! So that's why… it's good right?" 

Her comment did not take the scowl from his face, but it did stop him from launching another attack. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? I have to disappear and become someone else before he can consider me worth while? Keh. Kagome, get your stuff, we're leaving."

Sending a last withering look toward his brother, Inuyasha turned his back and started to exit the room. The miko stayed seated, stunned by her friend's stark dismissal of his only remaining family member. He had seemed so happy that afternoon, at the mere idea that his brother might have recognized his swordsmanship skills. For a while, it had seemed like both brothers wanted to reconcile, but they simply did not know how to take the first small steps. Had she misunderstood? Was Inuyasha unhappy to think that his brother wanted him to be part of the family again? 

And yet, he had surrendered the fight the instant she said it. 

Glancing at Sesshoumaru, she observed him and wondered what he was thinking. As usual, he was cool, collected, and as unreadable as ever. And yet, he made no move to stop his brother from leaving. 

The entire predicament frustrated her no end. Things were quickly getting nowhere as usual – neither brother was able to sit down and talk about his feelings like a rational being. Was this because of a unique upbringing, she wondered, or simply because they were both male? What was it about these two dog-demons which restrained them from discussing their emotions! Er… not that many feudal era men were good at that sort of thing… except perhaps Miroku, who hit on every woman that walked on two legs. But Miroku was a special case. Besides, she was getting woefully off track here! Obviously, the brothers just needed a chance to talk things over, to have the heart-to-heart conversation they always failed to have. 

Frantically, she wracked her brain for a solution. "Osuwari!" she shrieked, to halt Inuyasha's progress out the door. The younger demon tripped and crashed into the floor, held in place by the enchanted rosary beads around his neck. 

And while it did not have the result she expected, for once, her haphazard methods created the result for which she hoped. Sesshoumaru stepped forward, narrowing his eyes. In the sudden silence, Kagome shrank back from his icy gaze. "Using such underhanded techniques against those of my father's bloodline is utterly unacceptable," he growled, pronouncing each word gravely. "Remove the subjugation beads at once."

Her eyes widened in surprise. She had offended him! It had insulted his 'bloodline' to watch his half-brother restrained in such a manner by a priestess. Before she could work out all the implications of this, he dragged her to her feet and briskly transported her across the room to where Inuyasha lay, unable to rise. 

When the spell lifted, Inuyasha pushed back and glared at her as well. "What was that for, bitch?" he complained loudly. Kagome twiddled her fingers, trying to look as innocent as possible. 

"Remove the beads," Sesshoumaru ordered once more. 

"She doesn't have to do anything you tell her!" Inuyasha protested on her behalf. 

"Your dignity is not a toy to be crushed at her whim," the white-demon bit back, towering over his younger sibling.

And suddenly, they were no longer discussing her at all. True, the subjugation beads had originally been intended to protect the priestess from him, allowing her magic to restrain him if he attempted to hurt her. Also true, she _did _abuse her privilege an awful lot these days, subduing him whenever she felt like it. But he didn't mind the beaded string around his neck. Hell, he was used to Kagome planting him face down in the dirt every time she became slightly annoyed with some stupid aspect of his behavior. In fact, it reassured him to think that she had such power over him, because if he ever did get out of control, she could bring him back to his senses with a word. The charmed necklace had been with him as long as she had been, it was practically part of his outfit, part of his daily routine – (1) make priestess angry, (2) brace self for impact with ground. 

Yet the fact that his half-brother cared about his dignity was equally priceless. Since when had this become part of Sesshoumaru's personality? Time and time again they had fought, and his half-brother had insulted him for being a half-breed or having no worth. Didn't the taiyoukai believe those words? To come to his defense like this and imply no one else was allowed to speak badly of him or disrespect him, it displayed a whole new side to his brother, one that he had never seen. 

The affection was belated and twisted into an almost unrecognizable form, but Inuyasha knew it for what it was. He communicated his care for others in a similar way. Something tightened inside him, like a drawstring, closing his throat, forcing heat to his face. Kagome reached out toward the rosary beads, offering to remove them for him, but he simply batted her hand away, unable to speak. 

It wasn't fair! He had spent his entire life convincing himself that he had no one to rely on, and nobody else cared. Sesshoumaru and his family had been horrible to him when he was younger – he had run away eventually, unable to stand the taunts and insults about his heritage, determined to become a full-demon and prove them all wrong. Why then, did his heart feel so grateful now to know that his brother respected him a little bit? It changed nothing between them. Sesshoumaru was still a jerk, who had tried to steal the Tessaiga, who cheated and forced them to waste their wishes on the Shikon no Tama, and wanted to take advantage of Kagome. But for the life of him, he could no longer work up any ire toward his half-brother. 

"Just so you know, I don't believe you," Inuyasha muttered, still angry and unwilling to admit he might actually like his half-brother in any way. "If I was still a hanyou, you would never have said that."

The demon-lord faltered and stilled. Remembering what the miko had advised him of earlier, he struggled to find words to express what he thought. "This Sesshoumaru finds you … changed in form, not in substance." 

Kagome glanced back and forth between the two brothers, feeling light and happy. _A-ha! _she thought, feeling ridiculously pleased with herself. _All they needed was a little encouragement! I could be like a translator, taking unspoken Inuyasha thoughts and turning them into weird Sesshoumaru type utterances, so they could more easily understand and communicate with one another._

Unable to restrain herself any longer, Kagome let out a tiny squeal of glee and hugged Inuyasha, cutting into the brothers' moment. "See? I told you he wanted you to be a part of the family again," she chirped delightedly. "Midoriko was right, his wish was pure." 

Inuyasha stiffened and attempted to remove her arms from around his neck. With these revelations should have come new confidence, but his old hanyou temperament had returned instead, and he shrank from her affection. Out of the corner of one eye, she saw Sesshoumaru step back, equally alarmed by her easy-going expressions of friendship and regard. She glared at the elder demon and motioned with her chin that he should walk around them until he stood behind his half-sibling. The taiyoukai stared at her blankly for a few seconds, then slowly did what she had suggested. 

Naturally, Inuyasha was uncomfortable having his brother so close by, without being able to see him clearly. As he began to push her backward so he might turn around, Kagome caught his hair and pulled him forward for a kiss to distract him. And well… it didn't exactly beguile his senses, but Inuyasha was definitely bewildered enough at this point that he forgot all about his brother. 

Sesshoumaru's arm came around from behind, hugging him over his shoulders, and Kagome released her death-grip on his hair, snuggling under Inuyasha's chin and listening to his heartbeat. Having never been party to a group hug before, he froze in place, and she could hear his heart race as if afraid for his life. 

Ever so gradually the tension bled out of him. After several minutes Inuyasha relaxed enough to realize that he felt warm and protected, then it took another few minutes for him to realize that he liked the feeling. Eventually, he tried to turn and look at his elder brother over his shoulder, but Sesshoumaru's arm merely gripped him more tightly, refusing to let him move. 

Feeling like an intruder upon their time together, Kagome had the good grace to look embarrassed. "Ah… should I leave the two of you alone?" she asked, still just as cheerfully as before, but in a more subdued tone now. 

Inuyasha responded first, shaking his head in the negative, although he wasn't sure if he was alarmed or terrifyingly pleased by the thought of being alone with his brother. Probably alarmed. Definitely alarmed. Yet a traitorous little voice in his head whispered that he was happy to be touched and held by Sesshoumaru. In all his life, Kagome had been the only one to accept him so freely, to embrace him or pull on his ears whenever she felt like it. He had never been so free with his emotions or his actions. And he knew the taiyoukai behind him was even more reserved than he was. So, in many ways, this meant more to him than the miko's friendly touch. 

_But I'm in love with Kagome! _his mind protested. The objection was overruled as he felt Sesshoumaru nuzzle his neck apologetically on the spot where he had been injured earlier. His eyes widened, and their altercation in the courtyard came back to him in a flash, turning a simple apology into something more meaningful and sensual. Unsteadily, he gripped Kagome for support, sensing a strange weakness in his knees. 

The miko tottered under his sudden weight, but before she could fall, Inuyasha found himself in his brother's arm, soon deposited on a fluffy futon in the center of the room. He panicked briefly, latching on to the closest thing available, Sesshoumaru's haori. As Kagome came to rest behind them, he gaped in horror to see he had practically clawed right through his brother's outer layer of clothing. 

Unperturbed, the stoic taiyoukai merely watched his expression as a quick succession of emotions flit by, each writing a short story on Inuyasha's face. Reaching out one claw, he traced the line of Inuyasha's jaw. The ex-hanyou shuddered.

Did his brother really respect him for who he was, not what he had become? 'Form, not substance' was probably the best answer he would ever receive on that subject, and he knew it. And although some people said, 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me,' this wasn't entirely true. Name-calling and insults hurt, unless one had the confidence to believe in oneself. Inuyasha wasn't confident. He had always been full of bravado. True, with time, he had gained some self-assurance. But in certain situations, he still felt like he was standing on the edge of cliff, looking into an abyss, needing to bluff his way through whatever came next. He felt like that now. What did Sesshoumaru want from him?

Then, it hit him. The taiyoukai was waiting for him to decide. It was his choice, to stay or to go, to become more than they were now or allow things to remain as they had been. And this more than anything else made up his mind. 

Leaning forward, he kissed his brother on the lips. Hard. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: How's this for an utter misuse of Rumiko Takahashi's characters?

Author Note: This officially makes the FIRST work of fiction I have actually completed. I'm so proud. Normally I just write and run…

I apologize for the strange message 'alert' attack some of you may have received from FFN net, when I updated the last chapter. I deleted and re-posted the entire story, it didn't solve the problem, and I lost all your lovely reviews in the process.

Sincerely yours,

A broken-hearted aimdiscord

(Please review to make up for all the lost comments. . . ?)

**Brotherly Love 10: Epilogue**

A fire surrounded them. Sesshoumaru nuzzled him gently and then lightly pressed his cheek to the skin on Inuyasha's face, soft skin and slashed markings rubbing against the side of his face. The warmth of a tongue against his neck broke his concentration, and he wondered why his vision had darkened until he realized his eyes had closed in pleasure. Forcing himself to sit up, half-liking and half-hating the submissive posture that Sesshoumaru had forced him into, Inuyasha struggled against his half-brother until he was able to face his brother eye to eye. Strangely enough, he discovered they were the same height, when they were sitting down; the taiyoukai simply had extremely long legs, which allowed him to tower over everyone else.

Reaching out, he stroked the purple markings on Sesshoumaru's face, and was rewarded with a nearly silent rumble. Not to be outdone, the older youkai took this opportunity to run a finger along the rim of Inuyasha's left ear, as if admiring its new, slanted shape. What was it about everyone else wanting to play with his ears? Next thing he knew, Kagome might try to rub his ears alongside his half-brother…

The thought of both of them touching him at once sent a shiver down Inuyasha's spine. Unprepared for his body's reaction, he whimpered and squirmed away from the contact, forcing Sesshoumaru to change his focus. Sliding his clawed hand through Inuyasha's hair, the taiyoukai accidentally sliced through any of the knots he encountered there, and the ex-hanyou winced at the slight tugging on his silvery mane. The gesture did not feel gentle, like when Kagome pet his hair and smoothed out any snaggles in his locks. It felt forceful and abrupt, as Sesshoumaru was wont to be.

Spiritual energy flowed around them, both light and dark – although the darker energy of demonic youki outweighed the miko's odd balance of the two. Feeling suddenly courageous, energized by the presence of so much power in one place, Inuyasha leaned forward and buried his hands in Sesshoumaru's hair, scratching his head. It was only fair that he return the favor – after all, the taiyoukai had messed with his hair too! And as for his half-brother's outer clothing, well, destruction of the haori was revenge for the way Sesshoumaru had ripped off the sleeve of his kimono in the courtyard a few days ago.

Torn as it was, the silk hung loosely on Sesshoumaru's frame. With one sleeve empty already, the cloth barely remained in place atop the taiyoukai's left shoulder. He could see a V-shaped piece of his half-brother's chest, well-defined, smooth and flat. Even before his transformation, he could not recall ever looking that way. His chest had always been rugged, a bit ungainly, and scarred by too much fighting in too short a time period. His muscles had developed quickly, compelled by necessity, not refined by years of practice or kata. Contemplating whether this was one more thing to be angry at his brother for, Inuyasha barely noticed the white-demon leaning forward until their noses touched.

Firmly holding his jaw, Sesshoumaru tilted his head to the side and captured Inuyasha's mouth in a slow, languid kiss. Without conscious thought his arms wrapped around the taiyoukai, and he pressed their forms together, drawing a sound of pleasure from the older male. Once again though, it was extremely distracting to have this new figure, because the annoying lumps on his chest seemed to get in the way of snuggling closer to his goal.

Sesshoumaru didn't seem to mind these soft shapes at all. Scraping his thumb lightly back and forth underneath and around the sides of one curvaceous breast, he relished the subtle moan Inuyasha released at the contact. All the while, Kagome was unable to look away, although her modesty continuously chided her for this fact, reprimanding her for remaining in the room. Inuyasha's outfit was bunched up around his waist, revealing strong, well-proportioned legs, although not entirely effeminate. Between Sesshoumaru's obvious masculinity, and her own petite frame, Inuyasha's figure hovered somewhere in the middle, creating much needed balance. But when Inuyasha shoved the rest of the taiyoukai's clothing off his shoulders, Kagome's eyes naturally gravitated toward Sesshoumaru's body instead. After all, she reasoned, she had seen Inuyasha last night – and he had been in a female form – so this was technically the first male she had ever seen up close. It was for educational purposes. She wasn't staring.

Suddenly, their embrace seemed less sensual, almost frightening. The two tumbled to the ground, rough-housing with one another like puppies. Garments disappeared in the jumble, and Inuyasha growled as Sesshoumaru tried once more to unseat him. Tussling for dominance, he glared at the taiyoukai. His half-brother had removed enough of his dignity by wishing him into a woman's form. No way was he letting the bastard be on top. He raised himself back up, pulling Sesshoumaru's hand along with him, replacing it on his chest. It distracted his opponent and damned if it didn't feel wonderful too. Kagome's touch was marvelous, but she didn't know how to use her claws yet.

As they joined together, Inuyasha gasped at the sensation, very different than what he had experienced in the past. The room was incredibly hot, the air stagnant and heavy, yet he felt buoyant and wild, thrilled to finally have so power over his ever-untouchable sibling. Dragging his claws down Sesshoumaru's chest, he heard a muffled yelp from the taiyoukai as he left a trail of thin white lines behind and. But it was allowed. Moving slowly, he leaned back, and a wave of pleasure broke over him, overwhelming him with youki and raw feeling.

When Inuyasha came to, he was cuddled against Sesshoumaru's chest. The taiyoukai gave him a strange look, but said nothing. The room smelled of sex and desire, and he heard tiny whimpers coming from the miko's direction. Sitting up, they inspected her; both of them had forgotten all about her presence.

"Ahaha," she laughed uncomfortably, her hands fluttering nervously in front of her. "Wow! So, the next time I ask you two if you 'need to be alone' what I'm really saying is that you should warn me if you are planning to do something like that, while I'm still in the room, because that was way more than I needed to see, and… Right. Wow. So, I'll go now." But when she moved to get up, her legs buckled and Kagome found she still sat on the tatami mats near the futon. Blushing furiously, she huffed and blew her bangs out of her face, fanning herself slightly with one hand.

Before she had even finished her speech, Sesshoumaru had looked toward Inuyasha in amusement. "Does she always talk this much?" he asked, as the miko struggled to rise.

Inuyasha huffed in agreement, "Ya, nonstop." Then, with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, he added, "I'll hold her down, if you want. Oh! And she's really ticklish."

Kagome's eyes grew impossibly wide. "You… you… traitor!" she squeaked, mouth refusing to form the words. Sesshoumaru just smirked at her darkly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In the end, she decided, things hadn't turned out so badly. Inuyasha had gotten much stronger after sparring so often with his brother. She had finally gotten the chance to practice her spiritual skills in peace and quiet, slowly developing into the most powerful priestess in the land. Shippou had moved in with them, giving Rin a playmate her age once she returned to the castle, and the entire group of them often visited their friends in Kaede's village by the well.

In fact, her life was ideal – she didn't have to study anymore (she had always hated school), and she lived in harmony with the two powerful dog-demons whom she loved and considered her best friends. Even her mother had relented, once she heard her daughter was living in a castle with a feudal lord. Of course, her mother carefully and conspicuously overlooked the fact that Sesshoumaru was a demon-lord, but as long as the aging lady remained happy, Kagome was too. The taiyoukai was even kind enough to support her entire family, sending a few small artifacts through time by way of the Bone Eater's Well. Kagome promised him that even the smallest of coins from the Warring States Era would be incredibly valuable in the future.

It also afforded her an opportunity to travel and visit her family in the future, whenever she wished. Sometimes, Inuyasha came too, although he was still embarrassed about being a girl now – her little brother Souta always seemed so disappointed in him, as though the entire situation was his fault. But even Souta forgave Inuyasha, once he laid eyes on Shouko and Heisachi, their two children.

Heisachi came first, looking exactly like his mother, with black hair, sea-green eyes and turquoise stripes. Unfortunately however, he did not inherit her peculiar blend of demonic-energy and holy aura. Kagome's son was a full demon. Then, there was Shouko, a white-haired, golden eyed, fluffy ball of energy. The baby-demons were born only three months apart, and although Heisachi was older, his sister constantly dominated him, beating him in every fight and winning at every game. Apparently, rambunctious, unrelenting, loud behavior ran in Inuyasha's blood.

She could still remember the day Shouko was born, and she was absolutely sure that if she hadn't already loved Inuyasha so much, she would have hated him after that day. It should not have been possible for one being to complain so much, that loudly. After all, she had gone through the same experience only three months earlier. But no, Inuyasha was determined that his experience was much worse than hers; men (even former-men magically transformed into women) were not supposed to have children. He had cursed at Sesshoumaru for weeks afterward, refusing to let the taiyoukai touch him.

And worst of all, the ex-hanyou seemed surprisingly uninterested in his child. Shouko was an adorable girl, all smiles and dynamic mischief. But while Inuyasha played with her, he remained content to let Kagome do all the intensive work of raising her. It exasperated her, but he merely explained she was a better mother than both of them put together, whatever that meant.

So, whenever she got fed up with Inuyasha's chauvinistic ability to shirk even the smallest of 'female' duties, she would take her niece and her son to the future, to visit their very grateful human grandparents. Of course, sometimes Inuyasha got over his embarrassment around Souta long enough to come too – completely ruining the effect of her sanctuary. For instance, right now he was laughing boisterously about something he had seen on the television, while Shouko crawled away to discover more items to break without parental supervision.

Honestly, it was like she had had twins! She was the one doing all the supervision, dressing, diaper changing, feeding, carrying, bed-time story reading…

Depositing Heisachi in the living room beside her mother, Kagome headed into the kitchen room to find Shouko once again. The little troublemaking demoness had pushed herself onto her toes, one hand supporting her weight on one leg of the table, preparing to swipe a plateful of cookies from its surface. (They had invested in a Western-style table for their food, puppy-proofing the house.) With a stifled sigh, Kagome moved forward to pick up her tiny niece.

But before she could do so, a striped hand swooped down, catching Shouko in one arm. "I'll take her," Sesshoumaru murmured, too low for Inuyasha to hear.

She smiled, despite herself. Who would have thought Sesshoumaru might make a good father? But then, he had always been partial to Rin…

A shrill giggle broke out between them, as Shouko rediscovered the joy of pulling on her Father's long, white hair. It called to her little fingers, begging to be yanked. Belatedly, Sesshoumaru realized he only had one arm with which to stop her, and this arm was already in use, holding Shouko to his chest.

Catching the priceless look on his face at that moment, Kagome could not help but laugh. In the end, perhaps even their mistakes had worked out for the best. They made a strange family, but each complimented the others' strengths. So, how could she regret the choices they had made, when those very wishes and actions had led them where they were today?

Stepping forward, she unwound Shouko's chubby fingers from Sesshoumaru's hair and hugged him tightly. Then, together they returned to the family room, where Inuyasha had staked a claim on the center of the couch, leaving his partners just enough space to rest beside him.


End file.
